Reborn
by JimBeamer5
Summary: Jayne Cobb has always been a mean, stupid hun dan, who only cares for himself and will turn on anyone – if the money's good enough. But is that true? Jayne is not who he appears to be, who is the real man behind the gruff mask?
1. Chapter 1

This is an AU, where we'll find out just who Jayne Cobb really is, what he did before he joined the crew of _Serenity_, and why he didn't fight in the Unification War. Once we get aboard _Serenity_ you'll see all the familiar situations, but who does what (or what gets done to whom) may differ significantly from canon. Before we get stuck firmly in the Firefly (Alternate) Universe, we'll start by meshing the Navy SEAL movie universe of 1990 into our favorite 'Verse.

There are spoilers here for the series and for The Big Damn Movie, if you're here surely you've seen them. Otherwise, be warned.

Disclaimer: Joss is Firefly, and Firefly is Joss. Navy SEALs belongs to Orion Pictures. Don't sue me guys, I'm poor, ok?

**Prelude:**

The Union of Allied Planets. Most folks just call it The Alliance. It's often not used as a term of endearment, but of despair, especially on The Rim.

It wasn't always like this. Very few governments start with the notion of being all things to all people, of controlling their every waking hour, of creating fear and repression. The Union of Allied Planets was no different.

What started as a noble effort to bring together all planets of the 'Verse, so that all could benefit, over the years turned into an "us versus them" environment, where the Core Worlds with their mega corporations truly prospered, while most people of The Rim lived in abject poverty. Border Worlds contained elements of both, perhaps, and their worlds showed the conundrums of The Alliance.

Worst of all, The Alliance bureaucracy moved out with the expansion, their only real interest, it seems, is to get what they can, by whatever means, fair or foul – and as more time goes by it seemed to be that the latter is true more often that not.

Not every man and woman was content with letting things be. They didn't need to remake the Alliance, they just wanted to be left to go their own way. The Government of the Alliance, the Parliament, based on the Core World of Londinium, feared losing control, not only of the Border and Rim worlds, but of the Core Worlds themselves.

Something had to be done. War was not the answer. At least not now, and certainly not in The Core. Too much money was at stake. War is not generally good business for everyone.

So what to do to quell current and potential future unrest? To even stop it before it starts?

Science has the answer, G-23 Paxilon Hydrochlorate.

Parliament has a perfect place to test it, a showcase colony, a piece of The Core on The Rim. A planet called Miranda.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter One **

**May 2506 - Proto Star Burham Sector, enroute to Miranda.**

Lieutenant Jay Curran was pensive. C57D, a fourteen person survey ship on a routine survey mission? Missin'? Out here, at the ass end of the 'Verse? Sure, that's usually where survey missions go, but why here, and why now? There are plenty of planets and moons closer to civilization that ain't had a full survey.

The tall and muscular 26 year old native of New Melbourne, and currently an Alliance Navy SEAL Team Leader, wondered why this required a SEAL Team.

The elite Teams were far too special in nature, and few in number, to be used for a simple search and rescue mission.

The mission had a powerful smell, no doubt about it. _Miranda. _Something tweaked a distant part of Jay's mind. Somethin' about hand picked people for a new colony? Was that here? Why hide it? He shook his head. It ain't right.

And yet, here they were, an Alliance Navy SEAL Team, call sign "Bad Karma", on a _Fenris _class assault transport, call sign "X-Ray", _sneakin', _of all things into Miranda, a supposedly harmless planet. That ain't the only thing that stank. Their current base ship, the Alliance Heavy Cruiser _Dortmunder, _was no where to be seen. In fact, the _hun dans_ were all the way back at Lilac, gorram it! So much for support.

This just didn't smell, it ruttin' reeked. It don't add up, and Jay had the feeling his Team was in deep _go se_.

**An hour later, Miranda, standard orbit.**

"Sir, we've established standard orbit, but…" the pilot of X-Ray. Steve Chang, commed to Jay, "this ain't a fresh world, nor no survey colony. I'm readin' a wide range of electromagnetic energy sources, and enough for a few decent cities. Everythin' from domestic type Cortex feeds to high band Alliance radars."

Rushin' up to the cockpit, Jay was mighty alarmed. "_Shuh Muh?_ You sure?"

"Yessir", the pilot replied, "we're not equipped for detailed scans, the signatures are definitely there, only…"

"What is it Steve, out with gorram it!"

Steve checked his glowing displays, for the third time. "This ain't right. The signature's are there, lots of 'em, but power levels are way low. It's like the lot, everythin', is on but not active. It don't make no ruttin sense!"

"I'm gettin' major heat blooms on the infra red sensors" chipped in the co-pilot. "Awful lot of fires down there."

Yeah, it stinks, thought Jay. This ain't what should be here, but it is what it is. _Ta Ma Duh_ – that's why we're here. Somethin's either not supposed to be here, or somethin' awful's happened, and we're about to find out what.

"Any sign of C57D? Any beacon or anythin'?" Jay asks the pilot.

The reply is immediate. "Not so far, once we complete our orbital sweep we'll know more."

Jay's brow furrowed, "Deploy an atmo probe for a full NBC sweep, passive sensors only, I don't want no one to know we're here. I got me a bad feelin' that if we're spotted, we're humped".

"Aye Sir" an increasingly worried Steve replied.

**Two orbits of Miranda later.**

"Sir, telemetry results from the atmo probe are in", the co-pilot, Mike Sheppard, reported to Jay.

"Shiny, what's the good word?"

"No Nuclear radiation, no known Biological or Chemical contaminants apart from higher than normal levels of carbon dioxide, prolly due to all them fires…"

Well, that's a gorram relief thought Jay. Mike suddenly went pale, and Jay waited for the other shoe to drop.

"Sir," Mike looked like he was gonna be sick. "I took the liberty of gettin' some visual surface scans, here Sir, look."

"_Ching-wah tsao duh liou mahng!" _Jay exclaimed. "Bodies…everywhere. Don't look like a battle. Any sign of what killed 'em?"

"Scans confirmed clear Sir, no signs of classic battle damage, fires and somesuch, sure, but everythin's mostly intact, otherwise. Ain't no known bugs showin' in the data.."

"Then it's unknown" Jay interrupted. "Still, we got ourselves a mission, and I aim to complete it. What about C57D's beacon?"

"Here Jay, that's the C57D." Steve said, bringing up a 3D map of a large spaceport which lie at the edge of the southern ocean. "Couple of dozen ships down there, all intact but dark. Everythin' from skiff's to mid bulks, hell even a couple a' _Fireflies_."

The C57D was lying near the edge of the spaceport, not where it should have been.

"They hit too hard, missed the proper landin' area" pronounced Jay. "Well lookee here, there's no bodies around her, or anywhere near by. Don't matter anyways, we gotta go take a look see for ourselves now it's getting' dark at the drop zone we can jump in quiet like and mebbe not be spotted.." Sighing, Jay called to his second, Lieutenant Junior Grade Dale Hawkins. "HAWKINS! Mission's a go, HALO jump, full breathing apparatus, air and ground, equipment check in 30 mikes, _dong ma?"_

"_Wu dong_ Boss!" Hawkins replied. Calling to the rest of the Team, he yelled "Right! You heard the man, we're on the clock."

The team moved with purpose, checking weapons, parachute packs, oxygen masks and other equipment.

Totally unconcerned about the drop was Chief Petty Officer Billy Graham, the Team's Chief, or senior enlisted man. He was an old hand with the Teams, and after completin' his equipment checks he was happy to sit back and read his comic books on his portable Cortex, currently in offline mode.

One person though, more than the others, was worryin' over the jump, as he always did. Petty Officer Second Class Floyd Dane, callsign "God", was the Team's sniper – a great shot, but no fan of High Altitude Low Openin' parachute drops, especially in the fadin' light.

And, as he usually did, his friend Petty Office Third Class James Leary, the Team's corpsman, or medic, went over to him to help allay his fears. "How you doin'?"

Dane's response was to the point. "I hate jumpin' out of a perfectly good transport!"

Leary's response was equally pointed. "You don't gotta love it, you just gotta do it!" he remarked as he checked Dane's jump gear.

A short time later and all checks done. Jay was ready to rock and roll. "Steve," he commed to the pilot, "get us to the drop zone".

"Yes Sir" Steve replied as he prepared the _Fenris _to enter atmo and head to the DZ.

Soon after, they were at the correct altitude and approachin' the DZ, headin' into the dark side of the planet – and whatever the unknown situation was on the ground.

"Hey!" Petty Officer Third Class Homer Rexer said as he grabbed the arm of the loadmaster of the _Fenris, _"what's our altitude?"

"We're about thirty thousand feet, six miles up, you guys are crazy!"

Seaman Paul Ramos, communications specialist, smirked as he replied to the loadmaster "That's right, and proud of it baby!" and he shared a high five with Rexer as the loadmaster shook his head and walked back to the cockpit.

"Six minutes to drop zone" Steve commed to Jay.

"Six minutes" Jay repeated, as he went around to each member of his Team.

Each team member performed a final once over check as the minutes passed, before donnin' their full NBC protective helmets, complete with their own oxygen supply.

The shipwide comm blared into life with Steve's announcement, "OK gentlemen make sure ya masks are secure, we're beginnin' to depressurize. We are goin' to depressurize here."

The rear ramp of the _Fenris_ can only be opened safely for the jump if the inner hull is depressurized, that means masks for all includin' the loadmaster, who began to lower the ramp as the ship completed the depressurization process.

Jay walked forward towards the now open ramp "Let's go" he said as he ordered his Team forward. All seven members of the Team now stood on the ramp, ready to jump. The site that greeted them was surreal, the Burnham proto star revealin' a beautiful sunset, whilst below large columns of smoke rose from the planets surface.

Suddenly Rexer came over the comm., "Jeebus Dane, who the ruttin' hell packed your shoot, it don't look too shiny, I wouldn't jump if I was you!" he said as he patted Dane's parachute pack.

With the final ritual over, the Team prepared to jump, only waitin' the signal from the loadmaster, who in turn was waitin' for the green light from Steve which designated they was over the drop zone.

"Alright gentlemen, stand by" the loadmaster commed, "on the green, on the green….5,4,3,2,1" he counted down as the red jump light turned green. "GO GO GO!" he yelled, giving the Team the clearance to jump.

And out they went, as a bunch, no hesitation, even from Dane, and soon they were falling towards the ground at a great velocity. As it's name suggested, a HALO, or High Altitude Low Opening parachute jump meant just that. Jump out at a high altitude, _do not_ open your parachute until you're within spittin' distance of the ground. The use of this stealthy technique would hopefully enable the Team to hit dirt without bein' spotted – every second they delayed openin' their 'chutes would help them remain undetected by whatever the gorram hell was done there.

The Team hurtled towards the ground, Jay looked up to see the _Fenris _now just a speck in the distance as it accelerated out of atmo.

Soon enough it was time to deploy their 'chutes, but straight away it was apparent there was a problem with one of the Team, Billy Graham.

"_Tzao Gao!" _cried Billy as his primary 'chute failed to deploy properly.

"Ruttin' hell, Graham's got hisself a streamer!" yelled Rexer.

"Release, release Graham!" Jay yelled in horror. "Bale bale bale! CUT AWAY GRAHAM!"

With the ground rapidly approaching Billy managed to cut off his primary 'chute, but still hadn't deployed his back up.

Jay looked on helplessly as Billy fell towards certain death. "PULL OUT GRAHAM! PULL! PULL! PULL!" All seemed lost, but at the very limit, or perhaps even just beyond, Billy managed to deploy his 'chute and land safely, if very heavily. The big man was battered and bruised, but still good to go.

All the other members of the Team landed without incident, their all black uniforms blendin' with the night. They immediately hid their newly used parachutes, checked their breathin' gear, drew their weapons and headed towards the beacon position of C57D in tactical formation – determined to complete their mission.

The determination was tested almost immediately as eerie howls of pain and rage rang out occasionally from the darkness.

"_Wuh de tyen ah, _what the ruttin' hell is all that howlin'?" Hawkins asked.

Other Team members began to ask their own questions, unnerved by what they were hearing. The smoke filled skyline did not help their calm, no sir!

"_Ni Men Dou Bi Zui" _Jay exclaimed, "for Buddha's sake, focus on the mission. Ramos, how far?"

"Just the other side of that gorram wall over yonder" Ramos gestured with his silenced sub-machine gun, pointing to a wall just over 50 yards away.

With no effort at all, the Team scaled the wall, finally bringing the small survey ship C57D into full view, which lay askew covered in wirin' with a bent primary buffer panel, and lookin' little like its former self.

Hawkins was the only one to speak. "There she is."

Following standard operatin' procedure, the Team spread out to secure the site whilst Rexer and Ramos entered the small survey ship. The sight that greeted them was grim, dried blood splattered on the walls, and still wet pools of blood in various places on the deck of the ship. Other than that the inside of the forward part of the ship seemed mostly intact.

Being no stranger to blood, the two Team members remained focused on the mission. It took little time to check the small ship properly – no persons, dead or alive, remained on the ship.

Wastin' no time, Rexer reported to Jay the results of their sweep of the ship.

"No one on board, but whoever hit it stripped the ruttin' hell out of most of the engine spaces, main control room looks ok though…..'nother thing that don't make much sense." Rexer shook his head, a lot of that was happenin' this night!

Seein' the damage to the outside of the ship, Jay was sure what had happened. "_Wang bao dahn yao Nu, _took it out with a heat seeker. Billy! Ya'll picked up the trail yet?"

The best tracker on the Team, next to Jay hisself, Billy wasn't goin' to take too long to pick up the trail of the missin' crew.

"There were twelve hostiles. They took the crew from the ship. Took 'em northwest."

"OK, scout ahead and see what you can find." ordered Jay.

Progress was slow, it had to be. Although there were strangely no bodies in the area, the debris of buildin's, crashed skiffs, hovercars and the like was everywhere. They couldn't afford a misstep, but they wanted to be gone before daylight.

The eerie ass howling continued, gettin' closer, than father away, than closer again.

Jay was getting antsy his ownself. Whatever the hell was makin' these damnidable noises had to be connected to whatever had happened here. He could feel it deep in his bones.

"There" Billy pointed at a dilapidated buildin' over yonder. "Trail goes there, through those doors."

Suddenly, an all too human scream came from the building.

Through years of trainin' and teamwork, and with no time to waste, the Team seamlessly switched from search and track mode to assault and rescue mode.

"Leader this is God, I'm in position". Dane, Team Sniper, had found hisself a high spot coverin' the buildin' and the surroundin' area.

The remainder of the Team effortlessly moved into their assigned assault positions, using nothin' but hand signals.

Before Jay could give the signal to commence the assault, a shot rang out from inside the buildin'.

Chinese:

_hun dans _Bastards

_go se _Shit

_Shuh Muh? _What?

_Ta Ma Duh _Damn it (mild translation)

_Ching-wah tsao duh liou mahng! _Frog-humping son of a bitch

_dong ma? _Understand?

_Wu dong _I understand

_Tzao Gao! _Oh crap!

_Wuh de tyen ah _Dear God in Heaven

_Ni Men Dou Bi Zui! _Everybody shut the hell up!

_Wang bao dahn yao Nu _Dirty bastards sons of a demon woman


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Two:**

**Inside the building, same time.**

The three remaining members of C57D's crew were way beyond terrified. After what had happened to the lead sensor operator, Jane Tsiang, and all of the others, they had every reason to be. They'd discovered The Pax was responsible for what had happened here. Both that the majority of the people, near 30 million hand-picked colonists on the planet, just up and died, a massive tragedy, and that a very small percentage, around one tenth of a percent, became crazed, almost animalistic, hyper aggressive specimens of nature that mayhaps be no longer fully human, although funnily enough they had no problems using weapons and operatin' machinery.

Perhaps because they were the last taken, the pilot, co-pilot and crew chief of C57D were still alive. What had happened to the others…..

There was a reminder of that. These….people….who growled, yelled and howled had started to…..bite, scratch and beat the crew chief, before becomin' strangely calm as the sun had set. He was still alive, if barely, and the pilot and co-pilot remained untouched, for now.

Suddenly what appeared the leader of these human monsters pulled out a pistol from his belt and just…shot the crew chief in the head, his brain matter coverin' the pilot. The crew chief slumped over, dead.

This energized the other half dozen or so human form monsters, most of whom then attacked the co-pilot whilst the pilot was held down, to await his turn to die.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE YOU SUMMBITCH!" raged the pilot.

This took the attention of the "leader" off the now gravely injured co-pilot, and he now turned to face the pilot, growlin' and screechin' and with madness in his eyes, he leveled his pistol and advanced towards the pilot, his murderous intent clear.

In just a few steps, the leader reached the clearly horrified pilot and made to squeeze the trigger.

That was his last action of his malformed life, as the Alliance Navy SEAL Team burst into the large but dimly lit room, through the heavy wooden doors of the buildin', or in Rexer's case through a gorram skylight, their silenced sub-machine guns rippin' into the clearly surprised early form Reavers.

The fight, such as it was, was over in less then 10 seconds. Reaver bodies lay strewn throughout the room – they hadn't got off a single shot.

Loud shouts of "CLEAR!" echoed through the room as each SEAL confirmed that his assigned area of the room was clear of any further enemy activity.

All appeared safe, but as Hawkins was about to confirm his own area as secure, a Reaver not yet dead reached for his weapon. Hawkins emptied the remainder of his clip into the now considerably dead Reaver. "Real Clear." He confirmed, and followed that comment up with a soft "Wow!" as he always enjoyed the rush of a live entry.

This was only the opening stage of the rescue phase of the operation. There was plenty of work still to be done.

Not knowing if or when any more of these once human creatures would appear, Jay sent the Team into action. "Search team in!" he ordered, and he then commed the _Fenris _"X-Ray this is Bad Karma, objective secured."

The _Fenris _crew had been nervously awaiting the outcome of the first stage of the rescue. "Bad Karma this is X-Ray, what is your situation over?"

"We're preparin' ta move, three passengers, on schedule, headin' to the primary LZ" Jay commed, advising the _Fenris _as to which pre-arranged pick up point, or Landing Zone, the Team would head to.

"X-Ray, roger, out." Steve confirmed as he placed the _Fenris _in a dive as he headed towards the primary LZ.

The clock was running and it was imperative the Team got out, quick like.

"60 seconds" Billy advised as he grabbed any documents he could find, standard procedure was for the Team to be on their way in one minute.

Jay took a quick survey of the C57D's crew, one dead, one alive, one badly injured, but where are the rest of the ruttin' crew? As he approached the pilot, Jay hoped to find out. Jay removed his helmet and was immediately assaulted by the smell. "We're a SEAL Team, we're hear ta get ya out."

"I believe you" the still stunned pilot of C57D replied.

"Where are the rest of ya crew?"

The pilot looked at Jay with haunted eyes, "Dead.." he whispered.

"_Jao Gao!" _Jay swore as he replaced his helmet and checked the seal. No ruttin' way was he goin' to breathe the foul air for any longer than he had to.

"50 seconds!"

Ramos has his own task to do – document the scene with a hand held vid capture. "Bad guy" he said as he filmed a Reaver, "Bad guy…..bad guy" over and over until all the Reavers images had been captured. Task almost complete, "Good guy" he remarked as he filmed the now dead crew chief of C57D. He wouldn't be left behind though, no ruttin' way.

"40 seconds!"

Whilst most of the Team was involved in keeping watch for any more Reavers, Leary, "The Doc", checked over the badly injured co-pilot. He didn't like what he saw, broken ribs, broken jaw, head wounds…

"Leary how is he?" Jay asked.

"He's powerful hurt Boss."

"30 seconds!"

"Leary we gotta move! Get temp masks on them." Jay replied, anxious to get the hell off this gorrram planet.

"Ok I need some help, I need some help!" Leary called as Rexer moved over to help.

"20."

Just then, another Reaver ran into the room, knocking Hawkin's sub-machine gun out of his hand. Hawkin's automatically reached for his non silenced shotgun, perfect for such a close shot.

Jay was stunned. If he uses that loud shotgun, we's humped! "HAWKINS! Don't break…." Too late.

Hawkins blew the Reaver away with three very loud shotgun blasts.

"_Ching-wah tsao duh liou mahng!" _Jay exclaimed. "We're compromised, everybody out, NOW!"

Time to get the hell out of Dodge, and the Team moved as one towards the designated exit point, Leary and C57D's pilot half carryin' the co-pilot as Rexer lifted the body of the crew chief into a fireman's carry.

Hawkins was still starin' at the remains of the Reaver as Jay yelled, "Gorram it Hawkins, let's go!"

It weren't far to the primary LZ, and the Team went out the rear of the buildin', down the stairs. They stopped at the corner of the buildin' as they had come to a major road. It was wide, surprisingly well lit, and couldn't be crossed quickly with the dead and wounded. The howlin', screechin' and screamin' had picked up some, and appeared to be gettin' closer. It had to be crossed, but could it be done without the Team being spotted?

Rexer peeked around the corner – it seemed clear. He nodded to Hawkins, who indicated to Jay via hand signs that they were going to cross the road and check the other side. If it all checked out the Team could cross in safety. The two SEAL Team members quickly crossed to the other side of the road without incident.

Rexer peeked back around the corner to where the rest of the Team were hidden, and again it all seemed clear. Again he nodded to Hawkins who signaled to Jay that all was clear…..

Jay made sure the Team and C57D crew members were ready to move, but as they stepped out on the road they were immediately taken under fire., bullets careering of the wall behind them.

"HOSTILES, HOSTILES, BACK IT UP!" Jay yelled as the Team found cover where they could, returnin' fire at their so far unseen enemies.

Relatively safe in his position across the road, Rexer knew what had to be done to get the rest of the Team out from under the enemy's guns.

"God? God?" Rexer called to Dane, high in his sniper position in a crane by the sea port.

"God here." Dane replied, whilst searching through his 'scope for a target.

"God we got's a single shooter, south east tower…"

"Yeah, I see 'im." God replied. From 500 yards away Dane took his shot, killing the Reaver instantly.

"Nice shot, but you got two more." Rexer advised, as the Team continued to fire back at the Reavers.

Dane peered through his scope. "Got nothin' on Starlight, switchin' to thermal." He advised as he switched the mode of his sniper scope to thermal imaging, hoping to pick up the body heat of the targets. "Ok, hold on." he commed Rexer. Two quick shots later both targets were down.

Jay then came over the radio, "God, what's our status?"

"They're not movin', you're clear."

Time to go. "Let's move out!" Jay ordered.

This time they made it halfway across the street before more Reavers appeared and started shooting at the Team. Fortunately no one was hit as the Reavers were content to spray bullets everywhere instead of taking aimed shots.

_Tian Fan Di Fu _thought Jay as he, Rexer and Hawkins laid down covering fire from behind a skiff allowing the others to duck into another buildin'.After the three had emptied their magazines they quickly joined them at the entrance to the buildin'. Jay urgently commed the _Fenris, _"We're meetin' heavy resistance!"

"They's comin' out of the ruttin' woodwork!" Billy yelled in frustration, taking out a Reaver as Jay continued to talk to the _Fenris._

The Team was taking a heavy toll on the Reavers, but they seemed to be everywhere.

Leary was frantic as the co-pilot groaned heavily, "Gorram it we're losin' him, we gotta get 'im outta here!"

Jay's mind was made up. "All units, we're cut off from our primary LZ, goin' to LZ two, repeat, goin' to LZ two!"

"Bad Karma, X-Ray, roger…" replied Steve, now moving the _Fenris_ closer to the secondary landin' zone position, where, hopefully, they'd be able to pick up the Team and the survivor's of the C57D crew.

Angrily turnin' to Hawkins, whose impetuous use of the shotgun had landed the Team in their current position, Jay yelled "You're startin' to piss me off, now cool off!"

"I am cool" Hawkins replied with a smirk, "you should see me when I'm hot!"

"You gotta buy us some time." An unimpressed Jay ordered. The Team needed the Reavers occupied so they could make their escape.

"How much time do you want?" Hawkins asked.

"Bird leaves at 0245" Jay advised, "be there or swim…" Patting Hawkins on the shoulder, Jay led the rest of the Team through the buildin' towards the second prearranged landin' zone.

Billy elected to stay with Hawkins to provide the diversion for the Team's escape.

"Graham, cover me" Hawkins ordered as he ran, firin', towards a large group of Reavers clustered near a collection of gas tanks.

With Billy providin' effective coverin' fire, Hawkins was able to get within grenade throwin' range of the gas tanks. "Hopefully these _Ung Jeong Jia Ching Jien Soh _have paid their gas bill" he murmured as he primed a grenade. The gas tanks had to be full for his plan to work.

Hawkins threw the grenade at the collection of gas tanks and was rewarded with a huge blast, killing all the nearby Reavers and temporarily stunnin' the remainder. A perfect diversion.

"Whoa! You owe me a case o' beer Billy!" Hawkins yelled.

"Ya got it!" was his answer.

Hawkins and Graham then sprinted as fast as they could towards the secondary LZ.

Meanwhile the others had just arrived at the secondary LZ, which was a loadin' area near the seaport.

"Take cover behind them crates." Jay ordered, and the Team immediately found cover amongst them. They needed to set up a defensive position whilst they waited for the _Fenris, _as they could be attacked at any time. "Let's set up a perimeter." Jay commed to his men, and after checkin' his watch which read 0243, he commed the _Fenris, _"X-Ray, this is Bad Karma, we're ready to be extracted."

As the Team began to set up a defensive perimeter, shots rang out and Rexer was hit in the leg, fallin' down in the open, an easy target.

"Sniper on the roof!" yelled Ramos, then as he turned away more shots rang out. "There's another one!" he screamed as he, and the rest of the Team, returned fire.

Rexer was still down, and Jay ran into the open and quickly pulled him behind a group of crates.

Suddenly, the mighty roar of the twin engined assault transport could be heard as it descended quickly to pick up the Team.

"Bad Karma, X-Ray we're comin' in and takin' fire!" Steve yelled over the comm, not likin' the situation one bit.

This was Dane's cue to rappel down the crane to join the rest of the Team, which he did in record time.

"Bad Karma X-Ray, come on let's go!" Steve yelled frantically.

Jay was about to give the order to head top the transport when Hawkins and Graham ran around the corner. Relieved that his Team was now complete, the order was given. "Alright extract, everybody go!"

They all ran for the open cargo door of the _Fenris _as Reavers poured into the area. Many seemed to lack firearms, though, for which Jay was thankful. "Everyone move" he ordered, "In,in,in,in,in,in,IN!" he counted his Team off as they moved into the ship with the crew of the C57D.

Jay would be last in, after everyone else was safely aboard.

Once Jay boarded, Steve immediately placed the _Fenris_ into full burn, in atmo, fryin' many of the Reavers gathered below, their cries of rage, even as they died, drowned out by the scream of the ships' engines.

Once they settled into The Black, the Team began to wind down from combat mode as the assault transport headed to Lilac, and the _hun dans_ aboard the _Dortmunder._

Using the sparse medical facilities on the _Fenris_, Leary began to do a full check on the co-pilot of C57D.

"How's he doin'?" Jay enquired.

"I think he'll be OK."

Jay smiled, first time in a while. "Shiny." As he was about to walk off to check on his men, the pilot of C57D grabbed his arm.

"Lieutenant, I really…..you guys are incredible, thank you." The pilot said, with tears in his eyes.

Jay shook his head. "There ain't no reason to thank us," he said seriously, "because we don't exist. You never saw us, this never happened." Jay patted him on the shoulder and walked off.

Sitting behind C57D's pilot, Hawkins yelled out. "One more thing….you're welcome."

Smilin', they all got as comfortable as they could for the trip back to the _Dortmunder._

_Jao Gao! _What a mess

_Ching-wah tsao duh liou mahng! _Frog-humping son of a gun

_Tian Fan Di Fu _Sheer pandemonium

_Ung Jeong Jia Ching Jien Soh _Filthy fornicators of livestock:

_hun dans _Jerks


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 3 **

**A/N: This chapter and the next will end this arc, and we'll fast forward some years to my take on the events of the series, and eventually the BDM.**

**June 2506 – Parliament Buildings – Londinium**

Michael Gilchrist looked over the other 11 men and women seated around the fine mahogany table. Twelve men and women – the elite of the Alliance, the real movers and shakers. Some were well known politicians of The Parliament and businessmen and women of the mega corporations, Blue Sun being the largest of course, others from the military and intelligence areas were far less known and that's how they liked it.

This was where the real power of The Alliance was wielded. These were the _key_ members of the Alliance Elite. The minds behind every military, economic, diplomatic and covert operation in the 'Verse.

The called themselves Majestic 12. A carry over from the same organization on Earth That Was, they had met to discuss the Miranda situation.

Gilchrist appeared supremely confident, but in reality he was a troubled man. He wanted to unify all the planets and moons containing the 40+ billion people of the 'Verse under the banner of The Alliance. This would give him almost unimaginable levels of wealth and power, and his name would forever be remembered as the founder of the new Greater Union of Allied Planets.

The Pax was to be the key to a rapid and peaceful expansion of The Alliance. Not that Gilchrist was adverse to violence to get what he wanted, far from it, violence was a necessary evil. His personal motto was _Wu Du Bu Juhn Fu_ after all. Violence was efficient at low levels, but at the highest level that meant war, and that was a gamble. In war, even if you won, you often lost.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," he began, "thank you for coming. We have an important matter to discuss today." The lights in the room dimmed as a wall screen came to life. "Miranda….."

The meeting lasted hours and the discussion was robust. On one side, Gilchrist and his supporters wanted to continue research into The Pax, the other, more numerous side, wanted the whole episode buried - period. If what happened at Miranda became public knowledge, the ramifications could even destroy the careers of those of Majestic 12.

So it was decided. Miranda was deemed un-terraformable and removed from all official Cortex sites and navigational charts. Effectively all traces of the failed colony were to be eliminated. They were fortunate – the colonists were hand-picked, and part of that process was a non disclosure agreement to any remaining family and friends.

Miranda was to be a showcase of what The Alliance could do for all. It was to be built up to the level of a Core World on The Rim. Once that task was completed it would be revealed to all the people of the 'Verse. Surely they would all then willingly join The Alliance, wouldn't they?

So that took care of the colonists.

Well, most of them, anyway. Those that had apparently gone insane, what of them? Surely those one tenth of one percent would have eliminated each other by now? And there was no way they were getting off world, and with the Burnham Sector officially quarantined no one was going to be able to go there.

The only people who knew of The Pax, and of what that did to the inhabitants of Miranda, _and_ who weren't laying dead on said planet were the scientists that developed The Pax, the survivors of the survey ship, C57D – and the SEAL Team sent to rescue them.

Doctor Heinrich Mengele, Head of Alliance Medical, spoke. "The scientists who developed The Pax are true Alliance supporters, patriots, but they know they have failed. They know what that means. I have them secluded in a secure Alliance medical facility. They'll be mind wiped…"

Gilchrist was not convinced. "Herr Mengele, that process is not entirely foolproof. What if some memories are recovered?"

"Do not worry, the process was, I'm sorry, will be unsuccessfully performed, the scientists will unfortunately die during the procedure."

That's unfortunate, but necessary, Gilchrist thought. "What of their families?"

Herr Doktor Mengele shrugged. "They worked in a self contained high security facility, not really conducive to a happy family life. Many were single, or paired with others in the project, those few that had families, well, accidents can happen in life, no?"

"OK," Gilchrist continued, "what about the crew of that survey ship?"

"There were only two recovered alive from Miranda, unfortunately they died of wounds received on the planet." General Josef Chang, Head of the Alliance Army, smoothly lied.

Pleased, Gilchrist thought the whole thing was wrapping up nicely. "And those soldiers?"

General Chang shook his head, "Not soldiers, Alliance Navy SEALS, I have an idea of what to do with them." Chang smiled, it was not a pleasant look.

**One Week Later, SEAL HQ, New Melbourne, Red Sun System**

The border world of New Melbourne was perfect for the SEAL HQ. Known throughout the 'Verse for the finest caviar to be had anywhere, it also had plenty of secure areas where Navy training, both wet and space, could be performed in secrecy.

Captain Ryan Dunne was head of all SEAL Teams, and today was one confused man. General Chang was here, requesting an immediate meeting with Lieutenant Curran and his Team, apparently an urgent and ultra top secret mission was in the offing.

Unlike most of the SEAL community, who often hailed from Border and Rim Worlds, Dunne was Core bred, through and through. Still, that meant nothing, he loved his men, and they in return respected him immensely.

Jay and his Team were restin' in their racks, after hard days R&amp;R. New Melbourne was not only known for its caviar, it was a great place to be a single sailor. He smiled as he remembered his girlfriend, Claire Varrens. Rememberin' the day he had just had with the petite, brown haired beauty with the big eyes made him smile. She was a powerful pretty girl with the body of a dancer. A keeper.

His personal Cortex suddenly beeped, Jay turned and activated the unit. "Jay." Captain Dunne nodded. "Gather your Team and head to Briefing Room 2 ASAP."

"Aye Sir" Jay immediately responded as Captain Dunne signed off. But he was worried. Since when does Captain Dunne call for briefin's? That's what aides are for. What's up? _Tyen shiao duh._

Walkin' from his private room to the Team's common room, he found everybody except Hawkins sittin' around playin' Tall Card. Everyone seemed happy, Miranda was weeks ago and the Team looked like they was gettin' their mojo back. "Where's Hawkins?"

"Here Boss." Dale smiled as he walked into the room.

"Great." Jay smiled back. "Ok, guys, Big Boss wants us, like now. Drop that _go se _and let's mosey on over."

It wasn't far to the briefing room, and they all wondered what in the ruttin' hell was goin' on. The Team's mood darkened.

"Jay, whatcha reckon?" Billy asked.

"No worries Billy, I reckon we's just been invited for tea and medals!"

That broke the somber mood somewhat, and it was a happier Team that entered the sound proofed briefing room. And their mood brightened further when they found their old friends from the _Fenris "_X-Ray" already seated.

Greetings were exchanged before Captain Dunne called them to attention. "Men, we've got a visitor, a VIP whom you'll all recognize. I haven't been informed of the purpose of his visit, we'll find out together shortly."

On cue, General Chang, also sans aides, entered the room. All in the room immediately stood up to attention.

Well well, Jay thought, here's a _Da Chung Wu Dahn_ if I ever saw one.

"Gentlemen, be seated." Chang ordered. "I am here personally to order you on a mission of extreme importance to the Alliance." He continued as a wallscreen activated and pictures of various people, children included, scrolled through.

A rescue mission thought Jay. Yep, that's right up our alley.

"These people are traitors to the Alliance and are to be eliminated." Chang concluded, as the atmosphere in the briefing room dropped beyond zero.

'WHAT SIR?" Jay yelled.

"_Wuo Jai Jeong Yi Chi'" _Change stated, "these are enemies of The Alliance and they are to be terminated, with extreme prejudice."

_Wuh De Ma _Jay thought, he's serious. "General, we're a rescue team…..not assassins."

General Chang was not perturbed. "You're Team is an asset, if necessary an expendable asset, and I will use you to get the job done, _dong ma?_"

"My men ain't expendable…..and we don't do this kinda ruttin' work." Jay said to unanimous agreement of his Team and those of the _Fenris _as he turned to leave the room, all the men followin'.

"Gentlemen wait!" Captain Dunne ordered, "I'm sure this is a misunderstanding." He turned to General Change expecting this to be confirmed, hoping for it to be confirmed, but General Chang remained silent. This told him all he needed to know about the General's intentions. "General, I cannot condone this! I will contact Admiral .."

"So you refuse also, Captain?" asked a far too calm Chang.

"Yes Sir, I do!"

"If you all refuse this mission, you will be dismissed from the Navy!" Chang declared. My plan is proceeding nicely he thought.

Unbelievable! Jay thought. Who does this _Mei Yong Ma Duh Tse Gu Yong_ think he is. Ok, Head of the Alliance Military, but…..

They all refused, to a man, from Captain Dunne down to Seaman Ramos. Jay was powerful proud all of his men, and the crew of the _Fenris, _and especially Captain Dunne who had more to lose than all of the rest of the men.

Excellent! Chang thought. I have their refusals on vid capture, I have stated the consequences of their refusals, and this I will use this to officially get them out of the Navy! But that's for later.

Leaving the men stunned, General Chang left the room. Time for Phase Two of my plan he thought as he ordered his now present aides to lock all of the doors, bar one.

Jay was livid, and intended to confront the General. He slipped out of the room, luckily going through the only unlocked door. He ran out of the buildin' in pursuit of General Chang, who entered his skiff and flew off without lookin' back – luckily for Jay.

Chang meanwhile, thought of what was to happen in the briefing room. What to do with the military who had seen Miranda's fall was tricky, but the head of the Blue Sun Corporation had the perfect solution. Chang smiled, yes perfect!

Meanwhile in the briefing room the perfect solution entered. Two men dressed in suits entered. Average looking, with average builds, one with dark hair and one with light. Their only distinguishing feature seemed to be the blue gloves they both wore.

They room was in _Tian Fan Di Fu_ as the men argues amongst themselves, struggling with what they had been asked to do and trying to see where they should go from here. Captain Dunne was trying, valiantly, to calm them and was failing.

In the confusion, no one had noticed the two men enter the darkened room.

The one with the light hair produced a small device from his suit pocket, and pressed a button which extended the device with a blue antenna at each end. Soon, a sound of piercing sonic frequency could be heard, and this immediately silenced the arguing men.

The sound had finally brought the attention of the two newcomers to the assembled military men, but as the sound continued their noses started to bleed as the men began to scream. In a matter of seconds blood started to flow through their eyes, their ears, and out of their mouths, choking them in their own blood. Before they had a chance to act, some of the toughest and most experienced military men in the 'Verse lay dead on the floor of the briefing room, murdered by two non descript men with blue gloves. General Chang's phase two was complete.

Headin' back to the briefing room, Jay had heard the screamin' even though the briefing room was supposed to be sound proof – the screamin' was so loud. _Wuh de tyen ah _he thought, what in the gorram hell could be goin' on?

Trying the door he had exited earlier, Jay found it now locked. _Da Shiong La Se La Ch'Wohn Tian! _Well there's more than one way to get into that room. Jay ran to the plant room and quickly climbed into the ventilation shaft. Silently he made his way to the briefin' room grate, lookin' through the sight that greeted him made him almost hurl. "_Wo Bu Shin Wo Dah Yan Jing.." _he murmured as the two blue hands came into view.

As a man of action, Jay would mourn later. First, there was ass kickin' to be done. I'm gonna gut these _Ung Jeong Jia Ching Jien Soh_ Jay promised. Throwing the grate open it knocked in to the head of the light haired blue hand, bowlin' him over. That saved Jay's life as the blue hand's sonic device went flyin'. Holdin' on to the ventilation shaft Jay kicked the dark haired blue hand as hard as he could in the face as he turned to see what the commotion was.

The blue hands were down but not out, and Jay had vowed to end them for what they had done to his men, his friends! Jay jumped down from the shaft and ran into the next section of the room, lockin' the door as best he could whilst he thought on his next move.

Light haired blue hand had, in the meantime, retrieved his sonic weapon. It was broken, useless. Testing the door and finding it locked, the blue hands pulled out automatic pistols and blew the lock open.

They came out of the room, two by two, searching for Jay. They knew he was dangerous, but so were they. They went to corridors on opposite sides of the room, hoping to trap the Alliance Navy SEAL Team Leader.

As the light haired blue hand came around the corner, Jay threw his Bowie knife at the man, hitting him in the neck. He dropped to the floor clutching the knife – he was dead in seconds.

Now weaponless, Jay waited for the dark haired blue hand to round the corner. As he passed, Jay jumped up and grappled with the man, tryin' to get his pistol from him. The blue hand dropped his pistol and Jay was unable to see where it landed in the dim light. Still holdin' the blue hand, he threw him over the nearest table. As he landed on the floor Jay advanced, plannin' to end him the old fashioned way, hand to hand.

Dark haired blue hand was fast, and he had found his pistol. He leapt up aimin' to shoot Jay dead, Jay was just as fast and he grabbed the blue hands wrist as he shot his pistol once, twice, just missin' Jay's head.

Jay broke the blue hands wrist and the pistol went flyin', as did the blue hand as Jay threw him into a couple of filin' cabinets. Seeming to feel no pain, the blue hand leapt up and grabbed Jay around the throat with one hand while pullin' a knife from…somewhere, with his other.

"_Go Hwong Tong!" _yelled Jay as he pushed the blue hand onto a desk, pushing down on his throat with one arm whilst keeping the blue hands knife away from his own throat with the other. Although the blue hand freak appeared well trained and seemed to feel no pain, and was stronger than he looked, Jay was equally well trained and much bigger. He pushed down, hard, once, twice, three times onto the blue hands throat, and was finally rewarded with the sound of his neck breakin'. Jay dropped the blue hand, who was wearin' a surprised look on his face, to the ground heavily.

"_Wo Cao." _Jay cried, he knew a cleanup operation when he saw one. I knew that Miranda job stank, and now his Team had paid the ultimate price for it. He had to get out, fast, before he was spotted. Hell, even his own side mighta thunk he was the one that had gone _feng le_ and killed everyone.

"I am so humped." he sighed.

Chinese:

_Wu Du Bu Juhn Fu "_a person without poison is not a great man"

_Tyen shiao duh _Heaven knows what

_go se _Crap

_Da Chung Wu Dahn _Impressive display but no substance

_Wuo Jai Jeong Yi Chi' _Let me repeat myself

_Wuh De Ma _Mother of God

_dong ma? _Understand?

_Mei Yong Ma Duh Tse Gu Yong _Motherless goat of all motherless goats

_Tian Fan Di Fu _Complete disarray

_Wuh de tyen ah _Dear God in Heaven

_Da Shiong La Se La Ch'Wohn Tian! _Explosive diaherrea of an elephant!

_Wo Bu Shin Wo Dah Yan Jing _I don't believe my eyes

_Ung Jeong Jia Ching Jien Soh _Filthy fornicators of livestock

_Go Hwong Tong _Enough of this nonsense

_Wo Cao _I'm screwed

_feng le _Crazy


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4**

**Parliament Buildings, Next Day, Majestic 12 Meeting**

"….and so we have a problem." Chang finished.

There was absolute silence in the room. This was not what the gathered elite had expected to hear. They were used to getting their way, whatever the cost.

"So let's be clear," Rupert Gates, Chairman of the Blue Sun Corporation began, "one of the soldiers killed my two best agents and then escaped? Seriously?" He was shocked, he thought of the blue hand agents as being almost invincible, and yet they were dead. They would be cloned, but the cost in money, and especially time, would be high.

"Is there _any _good news?" asked Michael Gilchrist.

"Of course," Chang replied, "we eliminated those of the military whose knowledge of Miranda was a threat. We've used their gross insubordination shown in the vid capture to have them arrested. Even though we know better, they're officially listed as being detained at the New Gitmo facility pending charges. Officially alive. Unfortunately for them, there will be a skiff accident as they're transferred to the mainland tomorrow. There will no survivors. That's how we'll deal with their disappearance. As far as their families are concerned…."

"They all died in the skiff accident. Very neat. But what of the man who escaped? Who the hell is this z_han shi_ anyway?" asked Gates.

Chang picked up a pad. "Lieutenant Jay Curran, date of birth 18 August 2480, from New Melbourne. Expert in martial arts, explosives, weapons and tactics. Silver Star, Navy Cross, Purple Heart with cluster….he'll "die" in the skiff accident tomorrow as well, then we can cancel as his ID and bank chips. With no money or ID he can't do anything."

"Except go to the media." Gilchrist stated. "If he turns up alive…"

Gates pointed his finger at Chang. "He MUST be eliminated. YOU caused this, FIX IT!" he yelled.

"Calm down Rupert." Gilchrist ordered. "We in the Parliament will take care of this." Gilchrist pressed his communicator." Send him in."

The blast door to the MJ12 meeting room opened and a tall black man confidently strode in. "You wanted to see me Sir?" The Operative addressed Gilchrist.

"Yes, I have a mission for you. We need you to eliminate this man." Gilchrist said as he passed the pad with Jay's information to the Operative. "He is a danger to the people of the Alliance. The secrets he knows about…"

"Secrets," The Operative cut him off smoothly, totally unperturbed by the powerful men and women in front of him, "are not my concern. Keeping them, is." He took the pad, turned and left the room.

**SEAL Base, New Melbourne.**

Jay didn't feel like some bad ass super hero military guy right now. He felt like _yī dà tuó dà biàn._

After leavin' that scene of utter carnage he knew he had to get as far away from the base as damn quick as he could if he wanted to go on livin'. The situation was so unreal, Jay was close to breakin' point. Years of trainin' and experience took over and from that he went on autopilot.

Luckily an important part of SEAL trainin' was in Escape &amp; Evasion techniques. Sure, E&amp;E usually meant you were runnin' from the enemy, damn if it weren't strange runnin' from your own side. Jay knew that he'd be just as dead a _hun dan_ if they caught him no matter who was doin' the chasin'.

Before he left the base he grabbed what he could from his quarters. He'd need his ID to get off base, they'd be able to track that so he couldn't use it from then on. What else? He knew he'd only have a few minutes before the excrement hit the rotary impellor device. Credits, weapons... What did he have here? Only his 9mm automatic pistol and his Bowie knife. _Go se_. Will have to do. Jay threw those, a change of clothes, and spare boots into a duffel and was about to leave when he saw his portable Cortex device. It was military spec, couldn't be traced, or so it was told. He took it, anyway, not looking back.

Jumping into one of the Team's utility skiffs he headed out of the Base to hit the first bank he could. "Mayhaps they ain't frozen my account yet." he murmured. He hoped so – if he had any chance of escapin' he'd need the cashy money.

**New Melbourne, One Week Later**

The Operative frowned. He'd arrived a few days ago from Londinium to start the search for his quarry, and on arrival he had immediately noticed Jay had emptied his bank accounts. The idiots on Londinium had taken too long to issue the warrant to freeze his target's accounts. Never mind, a complication, to be sure, but the result would not be in doubt.

Picking up his pad, he turned to again read Jay's psychological profile. Hmmm, once captured by rebels on Ithaca and tortured for three days – did not break. Interesting. Perhaps more of a challenge than first thought. What would bring a man like that out of hiding?

Whilst searching the Lieutenant's Base Quarters the Operative had discovered the Jay had taken his military issue portable Cortex – and despite his best efforts he was unable to trace it. That is not be important. I willmake _him_ come to _me._ _Da chow jing ser…_

The Operative now smiled. Yes, that's what I will do. Our hero Lieutenant Jay Curran will have no choice.

**Next Day**

The beeping of his portable Cortex brought Jay out of his fitful sleep. He'd been goin' from doss house to doss house, playin' the role of a hobo for the last week, while he waited for his black market ID to be produced. It was not an easy process, and took a lot of his credits, but if he had any hope of gettin' of this rock and out ta The Rim he'd need it.

Jay had blocked all outgoin' and incomin' signals on his portable Cortex, he'd turn it on at odd intervals and for very short periods, in an attempt to see what was happening out in the world. He'd learnt of the skiff "accident" that had killed his Team and Captain Dunne, the _k__uh wu _General Chang and his minions seemed to have every angle covered. The only loose end seemed to be Jay hisself.

The gorram Cortex device was still beepin', Jay turned it over and it showed he had an incomin' message, text only. How the ruttin' hell was that possible?

TURN ON YOUR CORTEX DEVICE AT EXACTLY 1300 THIS AFTERNOON LIEUTENANT. _Lao Gohng_

_Lao Gohng? _Old man? Only one person called him that, his _b__ao bei, _Claire.

No ruttin' way she's hacked my Cortex, she's only a 20 year old College student, in journalism, not anything technical, for Buddha's sake. _And _daughter of the local Magistrate. But "Lieutenant?"

The lack of decent sleep for the last week had made Jay a bit slow on the uptake, but it took just a few seconds before he made the connection. "_Lao tien foo!_" he cried, "they've ruttin' got 'er."

**Approaching 1300 (1PM) That Afternoon**

Jay's mind had been racin' in the lead up to 1300. "Just what in the ruttin' hell is goin' on?" he asked his dank room for the twentieth time. And for the twentieth time there was no response. Only one thing to do – turn on the gorram Cortex and see what the WAVE would bring.

At precisely 1300 the Cortex device beeped – incomin' WAVE. Acceptin' the WAVE request Jay was greeted with the visage of a clearly core bred, dark skinned man. He was smilin' like the cat who et the canary.

"Ah, Lieutenant. I see you've done the sensible thing. Good, now…"

"Get on with it, you _t__a ma de hun dan!" _Jay sneered.

"All business I see, very well." replied the Operative. "You will report to me immediately, Lieutenant, for re-assignment."

"Re-assignment? That's what they call murder in the _fe__h feh pi goh _you crawled outta? Why in the ruttin' hell would I do that?"

If any the smile on the Operative become even wider as he played his trump card. "This is why.." he said as he pushed a button on the console before him.

Beepin' again, Jay's Cortex screen split in two as another vid capture stream appeared. It was Claire, the beautiful 5 foot nothin' pixie with long brown hair and large eyes, bound to a chair in the middle on a dimly let room.

"You _liou coe shway duh biao-tze huh hoe-tze duh ur-tze!" _Jay cried in anguish.

"Lieutenant, I have no time for games and I _will _get what I want, which is you. There will be an Alliance VIP hover car at the north west corner of Alliance Square in Capital City at 1300 tomorrow. I won't insult you by trying to trace you, I imagine 24 hours is sufficient time for you to arrive?"

Jay didn't answer. He was to gorram angry.

Taking his silence as compliance, the Operative continued speakin' in that annoyin' Core bred, pansy ass, accent. "Excellent, I will look forward to meeting you tomorrow, Lieutenant. Oh, and please don't try and contact the media, or normal Federal Marshall's for that matter. The utmost discretion is called for. "

The Cortex screen went blank as the WAVE disconnected.

With no real choice to be made, Jay gathered his meager possessions and left to make arrangements with his underground contacts to get to Capital City by tomorrow.

**1300 Next Day**

"Well, there's the gorram hover car." Jay said to himself as he crossed the footbridge leadin' to the northwest section of Alliance Square.

Unable to sleep, or get any rest of any kind over the last 24 hours, Jay was powerful ornery. He'd gone without sleep before on missions but havin' Claire in danger was a different thing altogether. My little pixie…. Nothin' for it but to meet this _hun dun_, kill 'im and save Claire, be the Big Damn Hero. Jay didn't feel like no big hero, that's fer sure.

As he approached the hover car the door automatically opened and Jay got in. It was empty, but as soon as he sat down the hover car's windows darkened and it leapt forward. "Automated, a' course." he remarked to the empty compartment.

The journey took longer than expected, seems like the hover car took every gorram corner in the ruttin' city. "Tryin' to throw me off so I ain't able ta guess where we's goin," he thought to hisself, "like I got time for this _go se." _ Every minute put Claire in ever increasin' danger.

Finally, and not a moment too soon for Jay, the hover car stopped and the door opened, revealing what appeared to be a fancy, is seemingly empty hotel. Jay was mighty angry by this time and was achin' for the inevitable confrontation. Sooner this fancy talker was dead the sooner Claire would be free.

There was no one waitin' by the hover car. Jay was about to scout the area when the lavish front door of the old hotel opened, again appearin' to do so automatically. "That's my cue to make a grand entrance." he said to hisself as he approached the door, sighed, and walked inside.

There was no one waitin' inside neither. The innards of the fancible hotel were old, but in good repair. He supposed there'd usually be guests, but nary a soul right now.

Carefully notin' the layout of the building, Jay could do nothin' else but wait. The waitin' was startin' to wear a mite thin, but soon enough the dark skinned, fancy speakin', Coreified pansy ass made his own entrance.

"Ah, Lieutenant….so very good of you to join me." The Operative smiled, but there was no kindness in it.

"Seems like I ain't had much of a choice. So how about's we dispense with the pleasantries and get down to business. Where's the girl?"

"Oh, they'll be plenty of time for that, Lieutenant, I assure you. Please hand over your Cortex device." ordered the Operative.

Having no choice, Jay complied.

"Thank you Lieutenant."

"_Go hwong tong!" _Jay yelled. This guy was really beginnin' to get on Jay's nerves. "I'm here, you gots my Cortex, all the mission files are on it. NOW LET THE GIRL GO!"

"I'm sorry Lieutenant, I truly am, but a change of plans. My mission in life is to help the Alliance create the perfect society. No violence, no aggression, just peace and harmony. Not for you and I you understand, and unfortunately not for the girl. You see, her just being here means she already knows too much….."

Double crossed. Well, it weren't really a surprise as Jay was expectin' just that. He had planned to kill this guy to free the girl anyways, and he's just let slip that she's here, down in the plant room in the basement if the vid capture was to be believed. He was a confident one, this guy. No back up to be seen, thinks hisself some super secret agent type. And secret means no witnesses – good.

Jay smirked and stepped closer to the Operative. "Has anyone ever told you that you talk too gorram much?" he asked.

Whatever the Operative was expectin' from Jay it wasn't a smile. A pistol suddenly appeared in the Operative's hand as the smile disappeared from his own dark face. Supremely confident in his abilities, perhaps a mite over confident in Jay's opinion, the Operative took a step forward, pointin' his pistol directly in Jay's face.

The opening was there, and Jay took it. He struck like a cobra, one hand twisting the wrist of the Operative's gun hand whilst the other hit the pressure point in the Operative's elbow. The pistol fell to the floor, and although the Operative was a tall man, Jay was much bigger and he shoved the Operative back over a small sofa.

This didn't seem to faze the Operative as he rolled over and then jumped up in a fighting stance, ready as Jay advanced on him.

They met in a flurry of martial arts strikes, proving evenly matched. Neither able to gain the upper hand. Jay switched from wu shu to boxing, the change in styles catching the Operative momentarily off guard as Jay punched him in square in the nose, once, then twice, drawing blood. Surprised, one mighty kick sent the Operative flyin' back over the same sofa.

Although bleeding, again the Operative seemed unfazed as he came back up ready to continue the battle. They squared off once more, and although Jay was usually a man a few words, he'd use every trick he knew to get his opponent off guard, kill 'im and rescue Claire.

"Well, here we are." Jay stated. "You know, when you wake up in the mornin' and look inta the mirror, I think you're mighty happy with your own self." Smirkin' again, Jay continued. "Pleased at what you see, and that disturbs me….So I'm gonna take it on as my responsibility to make sure you never get to look inta the mirror again…."

Now it was the turn of the Operative to strike as he leapt at Jay, martial arts strikes and kicks rained down on Jay. He was able to deflect the vast majority, and the Operative became sloppy as his patience wore out.

Seeing his opportunity, Jay kicked, the Operative in the knee and he fell to the ground, however this time as he rolled back up Jay grabbed him in a bear hug and threw him at the wall, the Operative bouncin' off and landin' across a table. Jay advanced on him and laid blow after blow into his head. He then threw him, once again, over the sofa.

The Operative roared as he came back up and charged at Jay, and they fell in a heap as the Operative tried to squeeze the life out of Jay, who was taken aback by the increased strength of the man. Beginnin' to fade, Jay thought of Claire and was reenergized. Reaching for somethin', anythin', his hands found of all things a can of peaches, which he smashed against the dark skinned man's head, knocking him off Jay.

They faced it other, again, as "Jay taunted, "Take ya best shot _hun dan._".

The Operative kicked out, once, twice, three times…..all blocked by Jay, "I said _best shot_," he once again taunted. Again the Operative kicked out, and again Jay blocked. This enraged the Operative but before he could continue his attack Jay kicked 'im in his man parts and he went down.

Surprisingly, he jumped up with renewed vigor, and landed one punch, two , and blood streamed out of Jay's now broken nose. Spittin' blood Jay once again taunted. "Is that the best you got _ho tze duh pi gu?"._

They collided as each man put his hands around the others neck. They squeezed tighter and tighter as Jay pushed him back and yelled "IS THAT ALL YA GOT!"

Once again hands went around each others throats as guttural yells came from each man. Veins appeared and eyes went wide as they choked the life from one another. Then as they both dropped to the ground a female scream echoed throughout the empty hotel.

"CLAIRE!" Jay yelled as he jumped away from the bruised, battered, and bloody Operative, Jay feeling exactly the same his ownself. Even though the now upright Operative was between Jay and the door, he knew what he had to do.

Aimin' to get to Claire quick like, Jay was stopped by the sight of the Operative removing a device from his pocket. Clearly a remote control of some sort, the _hun dan_ offered a grotesque smile as he activated the unit.

"Two minutes." he said. "You have two minutes before your lovely Claire dies in a tragic fire….you see I have placed a series of thermite charges in the plant room.." Fire was a necessary evil The Operative thought, only the intense heat of a thermite charge would guarantee no DNA traces remained.

_Trap_ thought Jay, but in reality he had no choice. He had to get down to Claire, had to rescue her, had to…

"1 minute and 45 seconds…"

leave, right now. Curiously the other man did not try and stop the former SEAL Team Leader as he sped past. Yeah, trap. Headin' for the service entrance that would hopefully lead down to the plant room, Jay continued a silent countdown in his head, 90 seconds….

The Operative, for his part, watched Jay race for the service entrance. Satisfied that events were proceeding as planned, he limped from the building and got into the hover car, intending to watch the chain of explosions from a safe distance.

Although time was critical, Jay carefully went through the door that led down to the plant room, searchin' for booby traps. There was none, and as he closed the door behind him it clicked, auto lockin' itself.

"Well, we ain't gettin' out that way." he muttered to himself, he'd just have to hope there was a ventilation shaft or somesuch they could use to effect a darin' escape.

The silent countdown reached 75 seconds as he entered the plant room. Scannin' the area for Claire, and for a way outta this ruttin' mess, he first spotted a large inspection hatch that led to the oversize waste pipe that emptied into the sewer system. Standard equipment for any decent buildin'.

His smile at findin' the hatch grew into a large grin as he spied Claire strapped down to a chair not 15 yards away on the other side of the furnace. She wasn't lookin' his way, but she looked OK from what he could tell, and there was only 60 seconds left…

Holdin' back his first instinct to run to Claire he knew that he had to ensure their escape route first. If he couldn't get the inspection hatch open they was humped anyway. With only 45 seconds on the gorram clock he hefted the hatch open, shocked his ownself how easy it lifted.

Thirty seconds was cuttin' it close, but doable. "CLAIRE!" he yelled and she turned his way, their eyes lockin', relief evident in both pairs. As Jay went to move towards her the first thermite charge detonated, 28 seconds early.

The intense fireball engulfed Claire completely and she died instantly. The second charge ignited on the far side of the room, and the pressure wave from this explosion, combined with that of the first, blew Jay backwards into the open maw of the inspection hatch.

"_Tian xia suo you de ren dou gai si" _was his last conscious thought as the seriously injured former SEAL slid down the pipe and into oblivion.

**Outside, Same Time**

The Operative was a patient man, mostly. Right now, pain had reduced his patience somewhat. He didn't show it, but he was anxious for this mission to be over. It had turned out to be harder, and paradoxically also somewhat easier, than he expected. In any event, it will all be over in a few moments.

The explosions, when they came, were muffled – it was something of an anti-climax. Smoke poured however from the building and in moments it was truly alight.

Knowing no one could survive the hellish fire now raging, the Operative smiled as he WAVED Parliamentarian Michael Gilchrist.

"Yes?" the politician answered curtly. "Ah, you. What can you report?"

"Curran is dead Sir." The girl was of no consequence.

"Are you sure?"

"Quite sure. I regret I cannot provide a body for verification, no DNA was to be able to be recovered under any circumstance you see."

"Excellent!" Gilchrist was very pleased with himself as he disconnected the WAVE.

**Later That Day, Underground Independent's Facility**

"How is he Doctor Zimmerman?" The bald Doctor looked up at the Independent Officer, irritated to be interrupted whilst working.

"Fortunate to be alive Captain, it was lucky you found him in time."

"Luck had nothing to do with it Doctor. When he came to our attention while he was on the run and lookin' for help we implanted him with a subcutaneous tracker. Once outside that Alliance operated facility the signal was no longer being scrambled and we picked it up."

"Yes, lucky." the Doctor repeated. "I've got him in an induced coma for now.."

"Good." Captain Armitage had a plan, an important use for the wounded man lyin' in front of him, but that don't include arguin' with feisty doctors. "Let me know when he's strong enough for the procedure Doctor."

"Yes Sir…" he replied as he looked down at his patient.

**July 2506 - One Week Later**

Captain Armitage had discussed the plan in detail with the Independent High Command. The Independent Movement was reachin' a critical stage. Support out on The Rim and in a lot of Border Worlds was powerful high. They would soon make their move. War was inevitable, but necessary, to secure the freedom of the outer worlds from the clutches of The Alliance.

They needed Jay's inside knowledge and experience. Armitage believed that the Alliance thought Jay was corpsified. They couldn't take the chance though, Jay's knowledge of the Alliance through his high level security clearance was too important.

Jay couldn't stay on New Melbourne, that was plumb loco. Although a Border World, it was Alliance heavy, with Jay too well known locally to be of much use. He'd be of more use on another world, preferably a Rim World far from the eyes of the gorram Alliance, where his knowledge could be used to the full.

So they had to get him off world. And that was the problem. Well, one a them.

The other being they weren't sure a Jay's loyalties. They had to suss that out.

Ain't no guarantee just 'cause the Alliance screwed him over he'd be Browncoat friendly. Ain't a chance worth takin'.

Armitage put his musin's on hold as the Doctor entered.

"Well Doctor? Was the procedure a success?"

The Doctor was not impressed with the apparent lack of confidence in his abilities. "Of course. We've successfully suppressed his past memories and personality and implanted the one you requested. You've now got yourself a perfect example of a Rim bred back berth." The Doctor shook his head.

"I know you ain't comfortable with the procedure Doc, but we ain't got a handle on his loyalties as yet, and we need 'im. And who says anyways he could act his way past any Purple Bellies he were to come across on the way to the Rim?"

"Well I'm a doctor, not an acting coach." was the Doctor's only reply.

Captain Armitage wasn't too concerned about the Doctor's misgivin's. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do. He picked up "Jay's" new ID Card and read the name:

Cobb, Jayne Cobb.

A/N And so, Jay Curran is reborn as Jayne Cobb. My Jayne will still be a mean, tough merc, but he'll be softer with his crew, more obviously loyal and dependable, and in return he'll be more appreciated and respected. It'll still be a rough ride for all concerned, but that's what family life is like, _dong ma_?

Chinese:

_Zhan shi Soldier _

_Yī dà tuó dà biàn A big pile of crap_

_Hun dan Jerk_

_Go se Crap_

_Da chow jing ser Agitate someone out of hiding_

_Kuh wu Despicable_

_Bao bei Sweetheart_

_Lao tien foo! Oh My God_

_Ta ma de hun dan Mother humping SOB_

_Fe__h feh pi goh Baboon's butt crack_

_Liou coe shway duh biao-tze huh hoe-tze duh ur-tze! Son of a drooling whore and a monkey_

_Go hwong tong! Enough of this nonsense!_

_Ho tze duh pi gu Monkey's butt_

_Tian xia suo you de ren dou gai si Damn everyone in the 'Verse_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 5**

**January 2515, Beylix, Penglai Proto Star, The Rim**

Jayne Cobb was feelin' downright ornery. Two days they been on this gorram planet and things weren't getting' any better. Not only had Marco Cafiso, his current boss and captain of the _Monaro, _not managed to get hisself and therefore the rest a the crew a job, but Jayne also faced a dilemma his ownself.

Beylix. Jayne's home planet. Ta couldn't have found a more typical like Rim Planet. Only nothin' looked familiar. Nothin'. Sure, he'd been gone close on 20 years, and a planet's a big place, but not a ruttin' thing was sparkin' any memories. Mebbe he'll WAVE his Ma &amp; Pa, if'n there's a workin' WAVE machine to be found around these parts.

"JAYNE!" Marco's yell derailed Jayne's thoughts.

"What?" he growled back.

"We gots a meet with the local fixer, a _piao liang de xiao jie _calls herself Whisper Lo Pan, hangs outta The Pale Horse Saloon. Weapon up, amico, and let's go.."

"Sure, Marco." Finally the _chwen joo _might have us a real honest to goodness job!

Jayne grabbed his favorite LeMat revolver, which he'd named _Boo, _off the rack in his bunk – a bunk he shared with that _shee niao hun dan _Darren Stewart. Jayne scrunched up his nose. Man smelled worse than a _joo fuen chse._

Climin' the ladder outta his bunk Jayne followed Marco down the ramp of the _Monaro _and into the harsh sunlight, hopin' for an interestin' day.

**Later, The Pale Horse Saloon, Back Office of Whisper Lo Pan**

"So, Marco," the middle aged Chinese fixer began, "I hear you have an excellent tracker yes, one who can maybe find the _go neong yung duh_ who stole from me?"

"Yessum. This here's a Jayne Cobb, finest tracker ina Da Rim. If them that stole from you is here, he'll find 'em." Marco smiled up at Jayne, it was not returned.

"Oh, a _swai_ specimen of a man, this Jayne of yours. Yes." Whisper looked at Jayne with a lustful look in her eyes.

Truth be told that weren't exactly a unique situation for Jayne, but he weren't interested. No, he ain't sly, but Jayne believed a woman was an impediment to his way a life. No kissin' on the mouth and no gorram responsibility. If'n he had a need, he scratched it gorram it! A whore now and then was all he needed, yessir, no one to tie him down and no one to complicate his life. He'd always thought that, or so it seemed, but like a lot a things lately, he just plumb didn't know why he thought the way he did. Was all manner a confusin'.

"But business before pleasure." Whisper continued, "this man and his crew are the ones who stole from me." She threw a data pad at Marco, who fumbled as he caught it. "Find them, find out what they have done with my cargo and then bring my goods back to me."

"Yes maam."

Whisper dismissed the two men with a wave of her hand.

Marco grabbed the data pad and went out into the main bar. "Might as well have a vino or two while we look over da info."

"Sure, Marco." Jayne weren't particular interested in the details, usually. Marco would tell him who or what to track, and he'd do it. Came natural as breathin' to Jayne. And besides, one job's the same as any other. Over the years they all sorta blended together. He wasn't sure no more why he'd even taken to The Black, and truth be told it was another thing that worried him.

There was a whole passel a things that were beginnin' to get on Jayne's nerves. Livin' on that _luh suh _ship, with them _feh feh pi goh's, _was that all life was supposed ta be? Best tracker in the 'Verse, can shoot a man at 500 yards with a bent scope, and what? This? Mebbe he deserved better, then mebbe he don't. Jayne shook his head. Anyways, thinkin' on this was pointless, there was a job to do.

"Captain Malcolm Reynolds, ship's the _Serenity." _Marco read from the pad.

Focusin' his mind on the present, he glared at Marco, who passed him the pad. Staring at the capture of the man he was to track, Jayne remarked "Nice brown coat." and downed his drink. "Let's go find 'im."

**Tracking The Browncoat**

This was provin' to be easier than usual. Man left tells like an elephant through the jungle on Earth-That-Was. Might as well have just made a hover sign saying "Here We Is – Loot Buried Here" or somesuch. Dumbass.

No, Browncoat.

Well, as things went bein' a Browncoat made you some sort a dumbass. Takin' on the Alliance! Jayne had wanted no part in the Unification War. Now the Alliance weren't no friend to Jayne, but Browncoats? Takin' up arms all noble like? No large cashy money at the end? Doin' it all for ideals? Ya can't et ideals. Still, this was yet another one a them thing's that was poppin' up in Jayne's head recently. Even the Independent's way a thinkin' weren't so crazy as it once seemed ta Jayne.

He shook his head again. Gotta focus, find the man.

And soon, very soon, he did.

Reynolds ship, the _Serenity, _no, just _Serenity, _no the, was parked out in the open, no attempt at camo, just sittin' there. All welcomin' like.

Jayne was not impressed. Clearly bein' a Browncoat don't make ya much of a smuggler or criminal mastermind. The whole thing screamed "amateur". Mayhaps just a petty thief who got lucky? This was startin' to smell. Usually Jayne couldn't a given a rats ass, but he was getting' one a them feelin's again.

"Jayne ya did it!" beamed Marco. "Now let's go get 'em."

The three men advanced towards _Serenity, _Jayne notin' it was a standard tactical formation. "Huh?' thought Jayne. What the ruttin hell is standard tactical formation?

Stoppin just shy of the ships' main ramp, the three men raised their guns as Captain Reynolds hisself, and what looked like to be his first mate, emerged from the shadows of the cargo bay.

"HANDS UP!" Marco yelled at the clearly surprised duo.

'Yep, amateurs" Jayne muttered.

**Five Minutes Earlier**

"Sir!" Zoe Washburne, 'till recently Zoe Alleyne, first mate and second in command of _Serenity_, called for her Captain's attention. Tall, and stoic, the dark skinned former soldier was striking.

Malcolm Reynolds looked down from the catwalk with amusement. Yep, I'm the Cap'n he thought, yet only Zoe calls me Sir. Don't get enough respect from the other two….

Mal fought, hard, during the Unification War. Sergeant Major of the 57th Overland Regiment, he was left in command of 3000 men and women – the remainder of the oversize Regiment – as officer after officer fell to the guns of the Alliance soldiers during the brutal Battle of Serenity Valley. Hera may be along way away from Beylix, but _Serenity _herself was a reminder to Mal of all that had been lost there, not least his previously strong Christian faith.

"How we doin' Zo?" he asked. Zoe had been with him at Serenity Valley, it made for a powerful bond.

"Loot's been stashed Sir, once we get the mule aboard and stowed we can break atmo."

"Good, and once we _do _break amto I'll WAVE that _feh feh pi goh _Badger that we're on our way. WASH?" Mal called to his pilot, Hoban Washburne.

Mal shook his head. The little red headed man had stole the heart of his second – he still wasn't sure how it happened. Hell, it wasn't even sure that Zoe had _had _a heart to be stole. "And I got a rule about romancin' on my boat." he muttered.

Said little red haired man, recently sans moustache – that had been part a the reason Zoe had agreed to marry the pilot – popped his head outta the cockpit.

"Yeah Mal?"

"Preflight the bird we's liftin' off shortly. Me and Zoe will secure the mule and then we head for Persephone, _dong ma?"_

"Sure Mal." he confirmed as he disappeared back into the cockpit. Wash had been a pilot for the Browncoats in the War, and been captured as a POW and held by the Alliance for a long spell. It didn't break the man, quick with a witty remark or a practical joke, it was his humor that had won Zoe over in the end.

Before flicking the three switches that would start _Serenity _in preparation for lift off he commed the engine room.

"Little Kaylee, engine good to go?"

Kaywinnet Lee Frye, Kaylee for short, was cute as a button. Full a sunshine, she was the heart of _Serenity. _As well a bein' cute, she was also a gorram genius at keepin' old _Serenity _flyin'. And _Serenity _was old. As a Type 3 Firefly she was built by Allied Spacecraft in 2459. The mid bulk transport was 56 years young, and mostly looked it. How Kaylee managed to do it no one rightly knew. "She talks to me." was often what young Kaylee said.

Smilin', as she often did, she gave Wash the good news. "Yeah Wash, my good girl's rarin' to go. Ready whenever you are!"

Wash cracked a smile as well. It was hard not to. Kaylee's attitude was infectious, most times.

"Thanks little Kaylee!" he flipped the comm off and waited for the signal from Mal to lift off.

Meanwhile, Mal had come down from the catwalk and joined Zoe in the cargo bay.

"Mule?" he raised an eyebrow at Zoe as he questioned her.

"Yes sir, mule.' she deadpanned back.

"Well, let's go get it and we can get off this gorram rock!"

They walked, together, out of the cargo bay and onto _Serenity's _loading ramp, expectin' to see the mule.

Which they did, but they also walked right into the guns of three ornery lookin' gentlemen.

"HANDS UP!" the little one in the middle yelled.

They did as they were told, they had no real choice, at least not right now.

So the little one's the leader thought Mal, time to see what the gorram hell's goin' on.

Addressin' the "leader" with the double barreled shotgun, "What can we help you fine gentlemen with today?" he asked.

"You gots something that don't belong to ya. The rightful owner wants ita back. It can go one a two ways – give us whata we want, ya'll live. Other way's nota so pretty for ya. No, wherea the hell is the stuff you dona stole from Whisper Pan Lo? Or do we hava to shot ya or the pretty lady next to ya?"

"Now I thought we was gonna be reasonable about this?" Mal asked Marco.

"Reason?" Marco sneered. "He's gonna talk to us about reason now."

"Now, that's a joke" Jayne supplied one of his usual answers without thinkin', but seein' the Browncoat up close made him feel uncomfortable. Somethin' ain't right he thought, this deal's startin' to smell more and more.

Not happy at bein' caught with his pants down, Mal turned slightly to Zoe and asked "Which one you figure tracked us?"

"The ugly one Sir." Zoe was not one to mince words.

"Could you be more specific?"

"Do we look reasonable to you?" Marco interrupted Mal, who shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, looks can be deceivin'.."

"Not as deceivin' as a low down…. dirty…deceiver." Jayne replied. That's a _feng le_ thing to say he thought to himself. This Browncoat's got me all turned around.

At least Marco thought it was funny, a chuckle escapin' his mouth.

"Well said." Mal replied, nodding to Jayne. "Wasn't that well said Zoe?"

"Had a kinda poetry to it Sir."

"You want I should shoot 'em now Marco?" Jayne asked, as he was expected too. All part of the intimidation process.

"Wait 'til they tell us where they put the stuff." Marco replied.

"That's a good idea." Jayne said as he stared down the two Browncoats, still feelin' something wasn't quite right. I ain't got a good feelin' about this – this is wrong. He didn't usually, well ever, have a conscious – until recent. "Good idea, tell us where the stuff is so I can shoot ya!" It sounded ridiculous, and Jayne knew it.

Mal put his hand up straight. "Point of interest? Offerin' to shoot us might not work so well as an incentive as ya might imagine…..anyway, we've hidden it. So, ya kill us, you'll never find it…."

Time to get things movin' Jayne thought. "Found ya easy enough." he told Mal.

"Yeah, ya did, didn't you?" Mal replied. He'd seen somethin' in Jayne's eyes, maybe things ain't what they seem. "How much they payin' you?' he asked Jayne.

Jayne thought he knew exactly what was goin' on. Time to look all confused like. "Huh?"

"I mean," Mal continued, "let's say ya did kill us. Or didn't" he shrugged. "There could be torture, whatever. But somehow, ya found the goods. What would your cut be?"

So the hagglin' commences Jayne smiled inwardly. "Seven percent, straight off the top."

"Seven?" Mal looked surprised. "Huh." he said as he turned his head away from Jayne.

"What?" Jayne asked.

"Hmm? Nothin'. Not a thing, no…I just …does that seem low to you?" he asked Zoe.

Zoe also knew what was goin' on. "It does Sir."

"That ain't low!" stated Jayne.

Marco too, had finally caught up to what was goin' on. "STOP IT!"

"Seven percent's standard." Jayne made it known he was lookin' for a mite more than that.

"OK!" Mal laughed. "Zoe, I'm payin' ya too much!"

Time to see what the Bowncoat's offer is thought Jayne "Why, what does she get?"

"KNOCK IT OFF!" Marco was getting' antsy.

"Look, forget I said anything." was Mal's reply. "I'm sure you're treated very well," Mal continued, "ya get the perks, got ya own room…" Jayne's face fell. "No? You share a bunk? " Mal asked, feigning surprise.

Jayne was silent for a moment than looked at the yī dà_ tuó dà biàn _Darren Stewart. "With that one…."

Mal was disgusted. "Really" he said as he looked down at the ground, a smile formin' on his mouth.

Marco turned to Jayne. "JAYNE! This ain't funny."

"Yeah, I ain't laughin'" was Jayne's only reply.

I've got 'im Mal thought. "Ya move on over to this side, we'll not only show you where the stuff's at, but we'll see to it that you'll get your fair share. Not no sad seven….."

"Private room?" Jayne asked.

"JAYNE!" Marco tried again, but Jayne clearly wasn't listenin'.

"Your own room, full run a the kitchen….the whole shot."

So that's the deal thought Jayne. Much better than what I got, but more than that. Somethin' about this man, this Malcolm Reynolds. Somethin' flared, a little, in Jayne. It was hope. Sure, his own room, more pay and food would be great, but the way this man was handlin' himself..why, most woulda pissed their pants by now. The man had somethin' about him, and Jayne aimed to find out what it was.

Marco had had enough. "JAYNE! I ain't askin'…." he began, but he never got to finish.

A loud BANG echoed through the small valley as Jayne shot Marco in the leg. "Shut up." He told the howlin' man who had fallen to the ground clutchin' his leg. He pointed Boo at Stewart and asked Mal "How big a room?"

The relief on Mal's face was palpable. Zoe was, well, stoic as ever.

**That Evening Jayne's New Bunk**

Jayne looked around his new bunk – _his _bunk. Don't matter that it was a mite small, it was his and his alone.

The day had turned out well, if he don't say so his ownself. New bunk, increase in pay, full run a the kitchen…..Jayne's musin's turned to the crew of his new ship, _Serenity._

His new crewmates were wary, and that was proper accordin' to Jayne. Got to take him seriously, he's a mean _hun dan_ and they best be rememberin' it!

Kaylee, the mechanic, now there was a fine young woman if Jayne ever saw one. Still, too much cheeriness and sunshine for his likin'. Reminds him of his _mei mei_….Jayne shook his head, that was only a vague memory, surely kin should give him stronger memories?

Wash. The little man was irritating from the get go, Jayne wanted to pound on him some for bein' such a gorram smartass, but he found out that Wash was Zoe's man. No, don't make much sense, but it is what it is. Zoe herself was a good lookin' woman in addition to bein' First Mate, not his type though. Far too serious. No guess who wore the pants in that pair.

That left the Captain. Malcolm Reynolds. Bowncoat. Jayne didn't fight in the Unification War. Just didn't seem either side was his. Whatever. Jayne was pretty sure he'd made the right choice here though, and when his new Captain had taken Jayne to gather his belongin's from the _Monaro, _he'd also taken Marco and Darren with them and dropped them off. Despite what they'd done. Jayne was definite sure when that happened that he'd made the right decision, took a special man to do that to his recent enemies. Mercy was in short supply in The Rim, and that had begun to bother Jayne a powerful lot lately, amongst a lot a other things a course.

Seems like a decent bunch a folk, all told. And decency, like mercy, was somethin' that had been in short supply in his life for a long time. Hope flared again – he knew, especially lately, that he'd been on the wrong path. Mebbe, just mebbe, he'd find whatever it was he was lookin' for here.

Mebbe his life would be better from now on.

**February 2515, Tam Estate, Osiris, The Core**

Fourteen year old River Tam was excited. The petite girl with the long brown hair and big eyes was about to head off on an adventure, one she had dreamed of, well, forever.

The Academy. _The _Academy. Just saying the name of her new educational institution brought a smile to her face. Government sponsored, with a wonderfully exciting program – most challenging!

"And I will still get to dance." she smiled to herself.

And a challenge was something that River yearned for. All her life it had been too easy. Everything. Most tasks came as easy to her as breathing.

Her parents, Gabriel and Regan, could not understand her. Unlike her brother, Simon, _perfect _Simon. He was the epitome of how a Tam should be. Intelligent, handsome, courteous to a fault, a perfect fit for the high society circles in which the Tam Family moved. She didn't fit at all, always questioning, always pushing the boundaries… "why can't you be more like your brother…" she had been told, often. River was sure her parents loved her, they just didn't know how to handle her. Now Simon, that was a different story.

Perhaps she should feel some sort of resentment towards him. But he was her _ge ge, _and she adored him. The one thing she would truly miss while she was gone.

River's thoughts were interrupted by a frustrated yell.

"RIVER, YOU BRAT!" Simon was not amused.

River, however, was. Her smile only grew larger as he stormed out of the front door of the house, where River was waiting for the car to be brought around. She was to depart for The Academy post haste.

"Simon! _Ge ge! _I thought you'd like something to remember me by whilst I'm gone." She hugged her brother, but not too closely – as he was currently covered in maple syrup.

Simon, for his part, couldn't stay mad for long. The brilliant and soon to be fully qualified trauma surgeon adored his _mei mei _as much as she adored him.

"You ARE a brat, _mei mei. _And I wouldn't have it any other way. " He went to hug her more fiercely this time, but she was on to his game, and easily slipped from his grip, before she too could be covered in syrup.

"Now _ge ge, _surely you don't want to be the cause of me making a bad first impression on the Faculty of The Academy? Scandalous!" She laughed lightly, a melodic sound that only enhanced her pixie like image.

"No _mei mei, _I _know _you will make a wonderful first impression. How could you not?"

She smiled at his earnest conviction, he believed in her in ways that her parents could not.

The siblings conversation was interrupted as the Tam's fine Town Car drew to a halt next to River. The chauffer packed River's luggage into the trunk as the siblings said their last goodbyes, for now.

"I will write you every day _ge ge." _She beamed a smile at her brother, as her eyes began to mist.

Simon pushed a strand of her hair behind her hair and kissed her on the end of her nose. "I will miss you so very much _mei mei."_

"And I you Simon." She leaned over and kissed her brother on the cheek. "I love you Simon."

"And I love you River." Simon's eyes were also misting.

One more quick hug and then she was gone, on to her great adventure.

"Onwards to The Academy!" She thought. Giddy with excitement, she leant back into the plush seats of the Town Car and thought how much more wonderful her life would be from now on.

**Chinese:**

_piao liang de xiao jie Pretty lady_

_chwen joo Dumbass _

_shee niao hun dan Pee washed jerk_

_joo fuen chse Pool of pig droppings_

_go neong yung duh_ SOB

_swai handsome_

_luh suh crappy_

_feh feh pi goh Baboon's butt crack_

_dong ma?" Understand?_

_mei mei Little sister_

_ge ge Big brother_

yī dà_ tuó dà biàn A big pile of crap_


	7. Chapter 7

**Interlude**

**April 2517, The Academy, Special Alliance Facility**

"Subject, Tam, River. Date of Birth 19 December 2500. Major, Theoretical Physics. Currently on special assignment." The Counselor smiled at that thought. Oh yes, River _was _special. She tested off the scale in her lucid moments, a reader of extraordinary ability with physical skills to match. Even an expert in weaponry. And all at sixteen and a half years old…

Miss Tam had proved she was able to apply these skills in a practical manner. The bodies of her fellow classmates who died in the "kill or be killed" Training Missions proved that. The process was Darwinian – it needed to be.

Nothing was perfect however and there was a major problem. Her lucid periods were getting shorter and shorter. Her usefulness depended upon her being coherent enough to perform her duties on behalf of The Alliance, _and _on the ability of her handlers to keep her under control.

He'd had an ongoing relationship with the girl since her arrival, that of faculty member to student, and he'd spent many sessions with her both before and after her admittance to the Ultra levels of The Program. The Counselor's job now was to see if there was any way therapy could extend her cogent periods.

Still, he also had other duties. And today he was playing nursemaid to VIP's. They wanted to see where their rather large expenditure in credits were going – in short they wanted to see solid progress on their special project.

The reinforced doors to the underground facility opened and three of the most important people in the 'Verse stepped out, sans aides. What they were about to see was way above Top Secret.

Michael Gilchrist, Prime Minister of the Union of Allied Planets. Orchestrator of Unification. General Josef Chang, head of the Alliance's Army during the Unification War and now Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Alliance Military – there was no one higher in the chain of command. Rupert Gates, Executive Chairman and major stockholder in The Blue Sun Corporation. Although all three men had "talents" in the areas of the others, they were basically political power, muscle, and money respectively.

"Greetings Most Honored Gentlemen. I will be your guide through your visit to The Academy." The Counselor began. "If you would please follow me?"

**Same Time. Quarters of River Tam**

River was crazy, moonbrain crazy. It wasn't her fault.

She had arrived at The Academy, a place full of promise. Instead she found it was full of terror.

At the start it seemed like an excellent place of institutional learning. River loved to learn, and the pace of learning at her previous schools, well, sometimes that pace was too slow for her liking.

Physics was her favorite, and she found the physics program at The Academy to be a challenge. This was most pleasing. She excelled and soon was granted entry into the Graduate Physics Program. "Little Mouse" was what they called her – she smiled at the thought.

Paul Volker, self proclaimed Number One in the Program, was jealous of her then. He didn't say it out loud, she had read it off him. And she had told this to The Counselor. Strange that she couldn't remember his name. He was just "The Counselor".

The horror, the pain of the procedures, the machinations of the "hands of blue", had started shortly after. The killing, often by her own hand, followed.

She remembered all too much about certain things, and almost nothing of others. She did remember her _ge ge._

_Simon. _Dear Simon. Now a Trauma Surgeon in Capital City on Osiris, she had tried to tell him what was happening here. It had been two years, more. He hadn't come for her. He hadn't figured out the code in her letters. A single tear slipped down her face.

Today was a better one than most. It was an important day, apparently. She had read that on the minds of many of the Academy Staff. Important day, and very important people. An interesting day perhaps? At least there would be no blue hands today.

**Later That Day, Counseling Room**

River knew the large mirror behind The Counselor was two way. She felt the three men behind it looking at her with intense curiosity.

The thoughts of all were loud, too loud, and that was the cause of her insanity. They had done something to her, in one of those procedures, and she couldn't stop being bombarded by the constant thoughts of others. Even _her_ brain could not handle the massive flow of information.

It was much easier when she concentrated on one mind. It was very tiring, and she couldn't do it for long, but she would do it to these three. Maybe something within these "VIP'S" could ease her pain?

The first one Michael. His deepest secret shouted at her. _Miranda._

The second, Rupert, also was scared of Miranda. She couldn't stay in his mind for very long, he was Blue Sun, and Blue Sun were Blue Hands. This she knew. This she feared on a visceral level.

Curious. The third, Josef, was also scared of Miranda.

Who was this Miranda that could scare these three powerful men so, why did she hold such as place in their minds? The Pax, that's why. What is that? And Miranda was not a she, it was a where. A planet. Burnham Sector. Strange, the girl knew all the planetary bodies in the 'Verse intimately. River gleaned what details she could and hid them away in her own mind.

It was dangerous to concentrate on any mind for long, and now she found she couldn't get out of Josef's, she had been concentrating too hard. River panicked, unable to get out, she went deeper, looking for something, some comfort maybe, that could help her escape his mind.

NO! The Blue Hands were in here also. Must escape, must get out of this mind! Then something interesting happened. The next image she saw were of the Blue Hands, but this image brought her joy. It was the Blue Hands, yes, but they were not whole. They were bloodied and broken. Dead. They could die? River felt excitement. This broke her bond with this mind, and she retreated to her own.

But the Blue Hands yet lived? River had to know more. She scanned all three minds for information on the dead Blue Hands, and was rewarded by a loud memory in Rupert's mind. Anger at the Blue Hands dying, not at their loss as individuals, but anger at the expense, and the loss of experience and expertise. Anger at the loss of time. Ah, clones! They could be killed, and they could be reborn, but no matter. They could be killed!

But River couldn't do it. There was some conditioning that she had been exposed to precluded her ability to attack them, she had tried, many times. And failed.

No, she couldn't do it. But someone had. Who? Steeling herself, she once again entered the mind of Josef, he had the strongest memories on the matter. River found what she was looking for, but was confused.

A seal had done this. A seal? A mammal from Earth-That-Was? Despite herself she laughed in her own mind. No silly! Not a pinniped member of the extinct Enaliarctidae family, a man.

The image was clear in Josef's mind, and the image was profound. The girl gasped in her own mind. The man looking back at her through Josef's mind somehow formed an instant bond with her. Why? Curious. Curious and fascinating.

River was tired and was losing the connection, she couldn't find his name, or anything else about him. She memorized his image, best she could, and the girl knew in her soul who she was looking at it. Content, for once and for now, the traumatized girl would use his image as an anchor. If the Blue Hands could be killed by a man, there was hope. Holding on to that shred of hope would get her through this ordeal. How she would be when the ordeal ended, she did not know. Crazy still, probably. That it _would _end, though, of that she was now certain, and she filed his image in her mind under _bao hu zhe_. Protector.

He would protect the last vestiges of her sanity, and his image would always be synonymous with the small flame of hope she now carried within.

A/N: A short update. Next Chapter, based on the _Firefly _pilot was a monster, I have broken it into two still large Chapters. They'll be posted shortly when the second is finished!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 6**

**May 2517, The Black**

A/N Timeline is from the _The Signal's _website.

The job from Badger was simple. Go there, grab the loot, bring it back, get paid.

Simple in this case meant Mal, Zoe and Jayne were currently EVA over a derelict transport while _Serenity_ waited among the wreckage. Illegal salvage was the game today. Jayne didn't mind be out in the actual Black in a spacesuit, it was all kinds of liberatin'.

"Jayne, give me the sticky." Mal ordered. Jayne used the small thrusters on his suit to move towards Mal. It only took a little bit of motion and he was there, passin' the sticky gun.

Sticky was great stuff. A gel like substance, just apply it where ya need ta, add a little heat, and it et right through the metal, quick like.

"OK, we get the goods, we're off this wreck and back on the ship," Mal continued, "no worries."

Meanwhile, back on _Serenity, _Wash was interrupted in his dinosaur playin' by the proximity alert. "Motherless son of a…" Something big was headin' in.

The sticky had done it's job, as it always did, and the remainin' atmo inside the derelict did it's job too, that a blowin' the hatch open into the vacuum a space.

As Mal and Jayne went to grab the loot, an urgent comm. came from Wash.

"Captain we got an Alliance Cruiser bearing right down on us".

"_Go se" _thought Jayne.

The Captain was even less polite.

"_Ta me dah, _have they spotted us?" he asked. Wash wasn't sure, and Mal wasn't wastin' any more time. "Have they hailed us?"

Jayne was worried his ownself. "If they's hear for the salvage, we're humped."

"If they find us at all we're humped!" Zoe chimed in.

Mal ordered Wash to shut _Serenity _down, everything but the air. Hopefully by goin' dark the Alliance Cruiser would not spot them amongst all the wreckage.

Wash in the bridge and Kaylee in the engine room rushed to shut down _Serenity_ as the Alliance Cruiser closed.

The massive Cruiser was not there for them. On a routine patrol it had come across the derelict and investigated as per standing orders.

The entire crew held their breath as the city sized Cruiser swept slowly past, scanning the wreckage for survivors. Just as the Cruiser was about to move on it's powerful active scanners swept energy over the area. They had detected a residual heat source – _Serenity. _

Now spotted, _Serenity _and her crew were humped.

"Prep the ship!" Mal commanded. "We move these in double time!" as Mal, Zoe and Jayne grabbed a crate of loot each and headed back to _Serenity _as fast as the small thrusters on their spacesuits would carry them., while Wash and Kaylee brought the ship back to full power.

The Captain of the Cruiser was well aware of what was going on. Illegal salvage. He ordered gunships to launch and capture the trespassing Firefly class transport.

It was a race. Could the crew get back on board before the gunships launched and captured them? Not a chance. It seemed all hope was lost, but the crew of _Serenity _were nothin' if not resourceful.

"Cry baby, cry.." Mal started.

"Make your mother sigh!" Wash finished as he pushed the button to launch a cry baby.

There was a woosh! of compressed air as the cry baby left the decoy launcher and sped away into The Black. It wouldn't be long before the electronic decoy would be far away from _Serenity. _

At a range of 13,000 kilometers the cry baby started transmitting. The signal mimicked a distress call from a large personnel carrier, drifting with a total loss of power.

The Alliance Colonel had no choice. Rescue took precedence over capture of some petty thieves. He ordered the gunships to return as the mighty cruiser turned and rushed, as best it could, to rescue the "survivors" of the fake personnel carrier.

This allowed the intrepid trio to get back aboard safely, and once the cargo bay was pressurized and artificial gravity restored, Mal ordered _Serenity_ to full burn to make good their escape.

"Let's moon 'em!" Jayne smirked, it felt awful good to stick it in the eye of the Alliance.

It wasn't a total loss for the Alliance men this day however, as they put out an all points bulletin on the Cortex to be aware of a Firefly with stolen goods. Not much, but better than nothing. And this small act put a range of events in motion that would change the crew of the small Firefly forever.

**Persephone, Lux System, Three Hours Later**

**Eavesdown Docks**

As usual, Mal, Zoe and Jayne were to make the drop. This was an easier drop than most, the job was setup by Badger and the drop would take place at his "Office". Often a meet would be out in the middle of nowhere, no witnesses for any double crossin' that might go down.

Jayne still didn't like it. Sure, it might lessen the chance of violence, but if violence was necessary Jayne didn't want no lawman gettin' in the way of his own brand a public relations. After strappin' his LeMat _Boo_ and its holster on, Jayne pulled on his large coat and mosied on over to the Cap'n.

Mal called to little Kaylee to find some potential passengers, just in case, as they may need the money. Jayne smiled, little Kaylee was like a _mei mei _to him_, _he'd be surprised if she didn't have a full load a passengers by the time they got back!Even though Jayne thought passengers were a pain in the _pi gu._

The three then set of for Badger's office, Jayne and Mal cuttin' a path through the crowds of the Eavesdown Docks with measured ease.

**Badgers Office, Short Time Later**

Badger, once proud member of the Dyton Colony, had delusions of grandeur. Would he be the King of all Londinium? No, just a fence, bigger than small time but smaller than big time. A middle man for a middle kingdom.

_Serenity's _Captain, First Mate and Mercenary entered Badger's den, a dark dank place that smelled of too many men having too few baths. Still, the men mayhaps stank, but they was all armed, and Jayne took note of how many and where they stood, ready for action if need be.

The Captain, as he always did, strode confidently into Badger's inner sanctum, and Jayne smiled to hisself. He approved of the way the Cap'n carried hisself, like a man should. He worked with many other Captains in the past, and they mostly was small men with small minds and a similar amount a courage. 'Twas nice to be answerin' to a man instead of a rodent for a change.

Speakin' on rodents, there was Badger hisself, another one a these sad little men. Jayne face scrunched up all on its ownself, he'd always wanted to pound on the miniature man somewhat for always disrespectin' the Cap'n.

"You're late." Badger simply stated as they entered the room.

The Cap'n's relpy was also simple. "You're lyin."

The little rodent was put out by this simple statement of fact. "What did you just say to me?"

"You're well aware we landed two hours before we planned to, with all the goods ya sent us after intact…"

The banter went on for a few minutes and Jayne zoned out on the details. The Cap'n could handle hisself, Jayne's job was ta make sure none a Badger's _hun dun's _thought themselves man enough to interrupt. He scanned the room carefully notin' the position of each a Badger's men. There was gunhands, a course, as well as the rodents money man. Jayne added the tactical picture to that he had obtained on the way into the inner sanctum.

_Tactical picture. _There it was again. Military _go se _that only came stronger and more natural like to Jayne's thinkin' as time went on.

Anyways he was pretty sure he could take the one on his left and the big fella behind him. Zoe and the Cap'n would have to take care a the other gun hand, the money man and Badger hisself. Then they'd _regroup_ and _assault through_, Jayne mentally shook his head, Badger's men outside the inner office, then they'd be home free. That's if it all went to _go se._

And that was about normal, Jayne mused as he concentrated on Badger as the tome of the conversation had turned tetchy some.

"…and you were gonna hand over imprinted goods and just let me twist was that the case?"

Jayne scanned the room again. Looks like everyone's trigger fingers were gettin' itchy.

"We didn't pick the cargo." Mal was sayin'

That riled Badger up some. "And _I _didn't flash my arse at the gorram law!"

Jayne moved his hand towards _Boo _as he heard Badger say "there's no deal. The situation, as they say, is fluid."

With his hand hoverin' near _Boo _it was Jayne's time to get involved, to throw Badger and his men off some.

"The only fluid I see here is the puddle of piss refusin' to pay us our wage!" Jayne sneered, waitin' for Mal to give the signal to act.

Mal, as it happened, was too slow, and as Jayne finally went to draw his LeMat he found Badger's men had already trained their guns on _Serenity's _trio. Mal silently ordered Jayne to stand down.

Well, it weren't an unusual situation to be in with this crew, truth be told, Jayne mused as the banter between Mal and the rodent continued.

Mal refused to back down, as did Badger. Mal towered over Badger, and the little man was utterly unconcerned. Clearly the rodent knew somethin' Mal didn't.

Rejectin' Mal's argument that "he was here to do business", Badger pointed out Mal's only remainin' option.

"Try one a tha border planets. They're a lot more desperate there. A course, they might kill ya…but you stay here, and I just _know _The Alliance will track you down. I have that feelin'…."

Dismissed, and with no cashy money from the no deal, the trio head back to _Serenity's _allocated dock.

Once outside Jayne was livid. Not so much at the Capn's lack of action, although there was some a that, but mainly at that little _ung jeong jia ching jien soh _Badger.

"I don't understand why we didn't leave that summbitch in a pool a his own blood!" Jayne sneered.

"We'd be dead." Mal reasonably replied. "Can't get paid if you're dead."

Jayne was unconvinced. "And ya can't get paid if ya crawl away like a bitty little bug neither. I got a share a this job. Ten percent a nuthin' is, let me do the math here.." Jayne said as he traced imaginary figures in the air, "nuthin, then nuthin', carry the nuthin'…"

The Captain needed an alternate plan. They had planned to go to Boros after getting' paid, but with that bein' a large Alliance friendly place there was no way they could go there now.

Zoe was all for droppin' the newly acquired cargo and lookin' for another job. Jayne was unimpressed.

"No ruttin' way! We ain't had a job in weeks, I say we stage a raid on that _feh feh pi goh _Badger. If lil Kaylee cuts the power to his den, we use night vision gear, a few flash bangs, an a few silenced rounds later we gots all the cashy money we want. We need the coin!"

Mal and Zoe looked at Jayne like he had two heads, Mal, confused at Jayne's military like plan, said the first thing that popped inta his mind. "Jayne, ya mouth is talkin', ya might wanna look to that.."

"Like I said Cap, I'm ready to stop talkin'. We should…"

"You're right though." Mal smiled as he cut Jayne off.

Jayne also smiled, he was a man a action. And gorram it, they'd been stiffed by that weasel. Time for payback.

The smile faded from Jayne's face at the Captain and First Mate discussed options, none a which included assaultin' Badger's den.

The rest of the journey back to _Serenity _was taken up by the two arguing as to tha course a action, Jayne knew it wasn't his job to work that out, so he concentrated on what was his job. Makin' sure they weren't followed, and makin' sure they made it back to the ship in one piece.

As they neared the ship it was decided. They would head towards Boros in the Georgia system, but go to Whitefall instead, which was a moon of Athens on the other side of the system. And hopefully make a deal with the cranky old lady who ran Whitefall, who went by the name a Patience.

At least there was some good news. Kaylee had indeed managed to get a few passengers for the trip to the Georgia system.

Grumblin' as he didn't really like passengers none, Jayne stripped off his coat as he spotted his shipboard _mei mei. _"I'll be in my bunk." he smiled weakly as he walked past lil' Kaylee, who's attention though was fully locked onta one of the passengers. Jayne _especially _didn't like that none, but he was too tired and grumpy to worry any on that right now.

All they was waitin' on was for The Ambassador to arrive in her shuttle, then _Serenity _could blast off for The Black.

**Later – The Black – Enroute to Whitefall**

Thinkin' back on the days events made Jayne a mite uneasy. He'd come to care for this crew in the almost two and half years he'd been onboard.

Lil' Kaylee was a no brainer, a finer person you could not find in the 'Verse. A ruttin' good mechanic to boot, there'd been a time or two out here he thought they was done for, until his adopted _mei mei _had had an inspiration and saved 'em all. For those times if no other he was mighty grateful to have her onboard, and he'd stop a bullet for her if that was needed.

Wash, husband of Zoe, and the ships resident funny little man, was still a pain in the _pi gu_. But he was a good pilot, and that more than made up for it. Well, mostly made up for it. 'Cause he's still a pain in the _pi gu._

Zoe herself, now they weren't friends, but they weren't enemies neither. Two years plus of fightin' side by side does that. He trusted her to watch his back as he surely would do for her.

The Ambassador weren't really crew, and she weren't no ambassador neither. Inara Serra, Registered Companion. Basically a fancy whore, but Jayne could respect that. It was, he thought, actually an important job. She'd been rentin' the spare shuttle since August last or so, about eight months he figured, but she didn't come on jobs or nothin' so she and Jayne really didn't interact so much. But it were obvious Cap'n had it bad for her. Less obvious to most, but not to Jayne, she seemed to like the Cap'n as well.

The Cap'n hisself he was still trying' to figure out, even now. He was the biggest dumbass who ever walked the 'Verse at times, and yet they always came out in front, even if that was often just less worse off than the others they dealt with. He was an honorable man, that's for sure. Made it hard to do crime, but crime they did. Jayne respected Mal an awful lot, and although true he would admit to no one out loud that he actually liked his Captain at times.

And that was the rub. Overall, he thought this was the best crew he had taken up with. They worked well together, mostly got on well together when they weren't on a job, had fun even, but except for Kaylee he got the feelin', no he knew, they didn't really like him much and although they respected his skills they didn't quite respect him as a man.

Shouldn't bother him none, but it did.

This crew weren't like the others all these past years. Mostly, ya watched ya own back, even from ya own side. Ya couldn't trust nobody, and he'd proved that his ownself when he joined Mal.

No, on past form they was right to be wary on 'im, even after two and a half years, and even with 'im not doin' a thing to show he was gonna betray 'em.

And he wasn't gonna. Not ever. He was getting' old for a Merc, most don't live past 40 or so unless they had solid back up. He'd be 37 his ownself later this year. Truth be told this crew was the most like a family he'd ever rememberin' havin', and he liked it here and didn't wanna leave.

Decision time. In fact, he'd already made it. Time he tried harder to fit it this family on _Serenity. _He used his gruff and crude demeanor as a shield to keep folk at arms length, so's he wouldn't care too much. Didn't want no responsibility.

Well, he already cared, and he already took on the responsibility, now to show the others that he don't do it just cause they paid 'im.

**Dinner That Night**

"I'm starved!" Jayne said as he piled his plate high with the food, _real _food! Thanks to The Shepherd, Book, one a the new passengers.

"It's not much, I had a garden at The Abbey." Book replied with a smile. "I thought I should bring what I could."

Jayne thought on The Shepherd as he took his first mouthful of food. Not overly religious his ownself, Jayne still believed in a higher power or somesuch. Might not be no _Yeh-soo _as The Shepherd believed, but then again mayhaps there was.

"It's very kind to share with all of us." piped in one of the other passengers – Doctor Simon Tam. Now _there _was a fish outta water if ever did Jayne see one. A Core bred pansy ass, out here. Why? Don't make no sense. Somethin' smells, Jayne decided, he'd be keepin' a sharp eye on the young Doc.

As the food was passed around the large table, The Shepherd looked up smilin' to the head of the table and asked "Captain, do you mind if I say Grace?"

"Only if you say it out loud." Mal tersely responded.

The smile dropped from Book's face. Jayne thought the Cap'n was bein' a mite unfair. The man had done brought his own _real _food and cooked up a treat, least he coulda done was humored the man. Was his ship, but still..

The Shepherd lowered his head to say a silent Grace, Jayne figured he'd join in, didn't hurt none and it was a gesture a kindness. A good way to start his new family orientation.

All the others except the Cap'n joined in. He continued to eat the man's food while Book prayed silently.

Once the prayin' was over, it was time to eat, and to talk it seemed.

"So does it happen a lot?" asked the Core bred Doc. "The Government commandeering your ship, telling you where to go?"

That brought the Capn's head up and he fixed The Doc with a hard glare.

"That's what Government's are for, to get in a man's way."

"Well that's good if the supplies are needed." chimed in the third and final passenger, Dobson.

Jayne didn't like the look a him neither, looked like some kinda weasel or somesuch. He'd be watchin' him close like too.

"We're just happy to be doin' good works." he said, and if'n it hada been true he woulda meant it.

The banter continued on for a spell, then Jayne saw Kaylee turn to the young Doctor with a gleam in her eyes.

"You're a Doctor, right?"

The Doc was surprised at her attention.

"Oh..ah…yes, I was a Trauma Surgeon on Osiris in Capital City."

Now Jayne's interested was really peaked. Simon Tam was young for a Doc, real young for a surgeon, and why is it out here? Jayne asked himself again. Yep, something ruttin' stinks about the man.

"Long way from here." Looks like the Cap'n had the same feelin' as Jayne.

The Doctor didn't answer, and before the pause got too long a clearly enamored Kaylee continued to ask questions on the Doc, smiling that smile a hers at 'im. Clearly she was taken with the Cored bred pansy ass and had missed completely the signs Jayne and the Cap'n had seen in the man.

His adopted _mei mei _surely couldn'ta thought this fish outta water was _swai, _but apparently she did. Time to derail this idea before she gots her feelin's hurt by that _feh feh pi goh._

"Lil Kaylee here just wishes you was a gynecologist."

The table went silent, as he'd planned it too. Lil Kaylee looked a bit hurt. Jayne felt bad, and it didn't really go with his bein'' a good family type, but Kaylee had to stay well away from that man until the Cap'n could figure out what the man was hidin'. So sometimes ya had to be cruel to be kind.

The Cap'n was a great actor or he hadn't caught onta Jayne's plan. "Jayne, you will keep a civil tongue in your mouth at this table, do we have an understandin' between us?"'

Jayne woulda usually pushed the point, but he'd managed to derail Kaylee's ill advised affections, and for now that was enough. Besides, he was gonna show 'em he _could_ be part a this family.

"Sure, Cap'n. he said, but he wasn't 100% successful at keepin' the smirk off his face.

The Cap'n was a little surprised at the ease of Jayne's surrender, and started to wonder on that his ownself. He mused on it for a bit whilst the banter, sans interaction between Kaylee and Simon, slowly returned. It finally clicked why Jayne had said what he did. Kaylee sure liked the Doc, but his story was full a holes - bigguns. Best she stays away from the man until he comes clean like. Mal's brow furrowed as he realized Jayne had put it together before his ownself, and had acted, crudely, to protect Kaylee. Interestin'.

**Later That Night**

Lil Kaylee was in the common room and Jayne had come to apologize. Before he could say his piece, the sounds of a commotion below drew the two crew members to the cargo bay.

Kaylee walked first through the hatch and into the cargo bay, her usual smile in place. She was confused at the hullabaloo and began to ask "What's is it…"

But before she could finish it a loud BANG! rang out and Kaylee collapsed.

Jayne was livid. Dobson, the little weasel, had shot his _mei mei. _

"KAYLEE!" Inara cried from above as Jayne reached for _Boo _and advanced on that _yi da dwei bun chou go se, _ready to do his job while the others looked on Kaylee.

Before he could get to him The Shepherd – _The Shepherd! – _easily disarmed the weasel and took him to the ground.

"Outta the way!" he ordered The Shepherd.

Book, surprisingly, or not so after what Jayne had just seen, stood his ground.

"You're not killing this man." he simply stated.

"Not right away." Jayne replied.

"He's no threat." Book pleaded.

"MOVE!"

"NOT gonna happen."

Shepherd or no, this _hun dun _had hurt Kaylee, bad, and was gonna pay. Jayne drew _Boo._

"I ain't jokin' with you preacher." he sneered as he aimed his LeMat at Book.

"JAYNE!" The call above had come from the late arrivin' Zoe. "Just tie him up."

He did as he was ordered, but he didn't like it none. There was some reckonin' to be had, and Jayne would supply it at the right time. Draggin' the unconscious … Lawman?...to one of the more secure passenger dorms, he expertly tied him up and stood watch, waiting for him to regain his consciousness.

All the while wonderin' what was goin' on with Lil Kaylee. Oh yeah, the weasel, he was gonna die, but if Kaylee didn't make it, the _ching-wah tao doh liou mahng _was gonna die _real _slow.

After a short while, Dobson woke from his forced slumber. Jayne watched from behind with growin' anger as the man struggled against his bonds. Well, he's woke, and he can't get outta his bonds, so…

Jayne walked around to face Dobson, who's eyes went wide with fear. Jayne had let him struggle with the rope just to make sure he didn't have no special escapin' trick or somesuch. The weasel appeared to have no clue, and Jayne had a real powerful urge to check on Kaylee. He also had a real powerful urge to pound on Dobson some, so he did, knocking the weasel out again.

There was a small access port to the Infirmary on the upper catwalk, and knowin' he wouldn't be able ta get inta the actual Infirmary, he watched the Doctor work on his shipboard _mei mei _from there. It took a long time, but he wasn't gonna go nowhere.

**One Hour Later**

The Doctor seemed to know his stuff, Jayne'd give him that. He saved Lil Kaylee, and even though he didn't like the Doc none, he would owe him one for that - not knowin' the Doc was the reason Kaylee'd been shot.

He saw, but couldn't hear, the Cap'n and the Doc have words. Mal wheeled out of the Infirmary towards the cargo bay with purpose.

"No, NO!" Simon yelled as he followed him. "Stay away from that!"

Jayne had had enough. He came down from his observin' place and grabbed the Doc in a powerful choke hold, draggin' him behind the Cap'n. Somethin' was goin' on, that much was clear, Jayne didn't know what, but the Cap'n was gonna reveal all, soon he hoped.

"Where's the Fed?" Mal asked, slightly surprised at Jayne's sudden appearance.

"Secured. Shepherd's with im." Jayne replied. "He seems to think he''s not safe alone with me." he continued as the Cap'n approached Simon's belongings, especially interested in a hermetic crate the Doctor had brought onboard.

As Simon struggled uselessly in Jayne's grasp, Mal wheeled out the crate and opened the locks. There was a WHOOSH of condensed air from the crate as the inbuilt alarm began to blare.

Wash and Zoe, alert to the ruckus, had by now joined the three men and Inara in the cargo bay and watched the Cap'n with rapt attention.

Mal looked up at the Doctor and simply stated "Well, let's see what a man like you would kill for." as he kicked the cover off the crate. Mal walked over and peered in. What he saw, shocked him. A girl, in cryogenic sleep. Mal had prepared himself for a shock – he was expectin' body parts or somesuch, not a whole girl.

At looked at the Doctor and back at the sleepin' girl in utter confusion, a small "Huh?" was the best he could manage.

Jayne's grip on Simon tightened as Mal and The Doc spoke back and forth. He wasn't really listenin', he was disgusted with what he saw. A slaver? The Core bred pansy ass Doctor Trauma Surgeon was a slaver?! Jayne didn't see that one, he thought the Doc stank, but this…..Jayne had never forced himself on a woman, never would, it was one of his core ideals. A woman was a person, same as 'im, who could make the decision on what course her life took. Not a piece a meat to be sold at some _joo bah jeh's _pleasure.

His musin's, and the other two men's discussion, was interrupted by a female scream as the formerly sleepin' object of the discussion literally jumped outta the box, nekkid, and fell to the floor. Clearly shocked and disoriented, the whimperin' girl slumped against the crate as her eyes darted around the cargo bay.

Her eyes at first settled on Inara, then quickly moved to Mal. After a second or two they moved to Simon, this seemed to slow her whimperin' mostly. Then, she looked at Jayne, and after a few seconds seemed to completely calm. The whimperin' began again as she looked back to Simon, who had some how freed himself from Jayne's usually iron grip.

Said holder of a previously iron grip was shocked his ownself. The girl had popped, straight outta the box, and Jayne immediately noted the obvious that she was plumb nekkid, and that she was frantic, But that wasn't what shocked him.

He watched her look at Mal, then Simon, then his ownself. Despite bein' nekkid, havin' wet hair, throwin' a fit and makin' a damn wail like a banshee, when he looked into her eyes a jolt of electricity went through his body and he thought he had never seen a more beautiful girl. "Claire…." A long dormant part of his mind whispered. Jayne shook that off as the now calm girl watched 'im watchin' 'er! It was kinda creepafyin', her getting' calm like that as she looked at 'im, but Jayne didn't mind none. Why, he didn't know, and that was what shocked 'im.

Simon took the opportunity of his sudden freedom to run over to the girl…

"River! River, it's ok., it's ok, I'm here." he whispered to her.

The girl calmed again and spoke clearly for the first time.

"Simon? Simon, they talk to me, they want me too.." she shrieked as she fell back into panic.

The Doctor clasped her face with his hands and tried to calm her down once more.

"They're gone, they're gone..we're safe now…we're safe.."

Simon hugged the girl fiercely and Jayne felt a sudden rush of irrational jealousy. Jealously, over some girl he didn't know who just jumped outta a gorram box? He felt himself shake his head, this was a hell of a day, fer sure.

Everyone was shocked, Jayne felt a powerful need to cover the nekkid girl, so he went to the closest emergency locker, grabbed a thermal blanket and threw it at the Doctor who had the good sense to cover the girl.

The Cap'n had recovered, somewhat, his ownself, and needed answers.

"What the hell is this?"

Simon looked up from the floor and replied in a somber tone, "This is my sister, River."

Jayne could help the flood of illogical relief that ran through his body at the word "sister". The fact that they were siblings had made sense, somewhat, of the situation, and as the whole crew was fussin' over the pair, Jayne retired to his bunk to figure on just why his reaction to the entire episode had been as strange as it had been.

**Five Minutes Earlier**

River was dreaming - she must be. She was happy. Dancing intricate steps around her _ge ge _Simon while her _bao hu zhe _stood watch. Perfect peace and harmony, she could not be harmed here. Her men, her big brother and her protector would see to that.

Suddenly, she was yanked out of her pleasant dreaming by the loud thoughts of many that assaulted her fragile brain. It felt cold, and wet, and a bright light stung her eyes. Thinking she was drowning she screamed and leapt out from the box she was in, finally collapsing in utter exhaustion and confusion against that same box.

The now whimpering girl turned her head to the sounds of voices, both aural and in her brain, and it was at that moment The Academy training took over.

Scanning her environment looking for threats, she needed to evaluate the situation before it would be decided if she would fight or flee.

Looking at the four people arrayed in front of her in turn, she first settled on the woman. Beautiful, petite, no obvious weapons, threat assigned as minimal.

The tall man in front was armed, one revolver, Taurus Model 85. He looked confused. He was not reaching for the weapon. Threat assigned as medium pending further input.

There was a smaller man slightly behind the tall one, behind restrained by a giant, or so it seemed. Small man, currently restrained, no obvious weapons, threat level minimum…..River's Academy programming hesitated…he looked like _ge ge…_further information required after threat evaluation of final potential adversary.

She evaluated the man from his combat boots up. Very tall, powerfully built, armed with several knives and a LeMat Custom, she moved up to scan his face and was shocked – and immediately calmed.

There, stood her _bao hu zhe. _Impossible!And yet, there he was. After a few seconds Rivers Academy program terminated. No threats, _bao hu zhe _is here, nothing could harm her now.

River had used the image of her _bao hu zhe _to place a fail safe in the Academy's programming. All she had to do was concentrate on his image, and if she was successful her own still powerful mind could circumvent the evil programming. She had never used it, however. If she had, the Blue Hands would want to know how she had done it, and that was worse than the alternative – continuing to main and kill and their bequest. And she had, awaiting the right opportunity.

Unfortunately all that remained once the program terminated was a totally confused, cold, wet and naked girl, and as her mind once again clouded with the many thoughts of others she slipped back to whimpering and babbling.

She thought, and then she knew, her _ge ge_ was here also, and she collapsed in his arms. Eventually she felt the cold lessen somewhat from the warmth of her brothers body…and from a thermal blanket than she _knew _her _bao hu zhe _had provided.

River leaned into her brother's embrace, content as her mind was able to be in this situation, and let herself be swamped by his love.

A/N Next mega Chapter will conclude the events of the _Serenity _pilot, plus a little extra Rayney goodness.

Chinese:

_Go se-Crap_

_Ta me dah-Damn it_

_Pi gu-Butt_

_Hun dun-Jerk_

_Ung jeong jia ching jien soh-Filthy fornicators of livestock_

_Feh feh pi goh-Baboon's butt crack_

_Yeh-soo-Jesus_

_Swai-Handsome_

_Yi da dwei bun chou go se-Big stupid pile of crap_

_Ching-wah tao doh liou mahng-Frog humping SOB_

_Joo bah jeh-Perverted person_

_Ge Ge-Big brother_

_Bao hu zhe-Protector_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 7 **

A/N This chapter turned out longer than I expected, but I'm still resetting our beloved characters, explaining motivations and somesuch.

**Jayne's Bunk**

"_Juh shi suh mo go dohng shee?" _Jayne asked the wall of his bunk as the hatch slid shut.

He was all manner a confused, and who coulda blamed him?

Helluva day. First, we don't got our rightful wage for the job we done for Badger. So we gotta haul passengers. One turns out to be a gorram _Fed_, and, well, runnin' afoul a the law was an occupational hazard for thems that do crime, but it seems the Fed had no interest in them, but in the ruttin' Core Bred Pansy Ass Doctor!

Said gorram Fed had then gut shot Lil Kaylee – Jayne still owed him for that – and the young Doctor had saved her it seemed. So that put him in the good column, at least until you figured on Kaylee only got shot _because _of the Doc.

So now he really gotta pay the piper too.

Only..only….Mal had opened the Doc's hermetic crate, and _tian líng líng, dì líng ling, _a gorram _me__lì de xiao jīnglíng _had popped right out.

The Doc's sister.

And who the gorram hell is Claire? Ain't the Doc's sister's name, 'twas River weren't it. Yup. And I don't know no one called Claire. Do I? Nope, although River looked to be about Claire's age, 20 or so. What? Where'd that come from? Am I goin' _feng le?_

River's a sure pretty name though ain't it! Jayne shook his head. Gorram girl.

He'd never been shook so bad by one girl, and quick like too. It'd be ridiculous, big, tough, _old_ Merc _instantly _smitten by a girl who jumped outta a ruttin' box! It'd be ridiculous if it weren't true. And it weren't cause she was nekkid. Nope. It was those big, hauntingly beautiful eyes. He looked into them and saw…somethin'. That done him in. No, gotta be more to it, surely? Jayne shook his head, again. Gorram girl.

Just have to think on it some and it'll all work out.

Jayne sat on his bunk and was debatin' whether ta lie down or stand up again – so much for deep thought – when there was a loud knock on his hatch.

"Jayne!"

"Yeah Cap?"

"C'mon, crew meetin' in the common room with the Doc – now! I'm gonna get me some answers. Might as well listen in, see what ya think of his tale, _dong ma?_

"Sure Cap." Jayne replied as he climbed outta his bunk and hope'd he'd be able to catch a glimpse a the girl, just to see how she was doin'. He stopped himself from shakin' his head this time, but still muttered' to hisself "Gorram girl…"

**Common Room**

The crew, plus Shepherd Book, had gathered in the kitchen and spilled over into the common room.

Simon was to give his big speech, and Jayne sat right out front, wonderin' what the young man had to say for hisself. Whatever it'd be, Jayne was sure it'd be a hellava story. It'd better be.

Simon had his sister under sedation in the Infirmary – prolly best fa now.

"I am very smart." The Doctor started. "I went to the best medicad in Osiris, top three percent of my class."

Jayne weren't impressed. He fixed Kaylee right up, sure, but braggin' ain't gonna get him in any one's good books.

"I finished my internship in eight months." Simon continued. "Gifted, is the term."

Shuffling in his chair Jayne wondered just where the Doc was headin'.

"So when I tell you that my little sister makes me look like an idiot child…I want you to understand my full meaning. "

That's _not _what Jayne was expectin', and he soured a bit. She's a gorram genius? Hmmm.

"She was a gift." Simon smiled to himself, he couldn't help it. "Everything she did, music, math, theoretical physics, even dance, there was nothing that didn't come as natural to her as breathing does to us." Simon's smile widened as he continued. "And she could be a real brat about it. She used to….."

Jayne wasn't sure what he thought about what he'd heard so far. He needed to do somethin' to calm his nerves so he got up to make hisself a fresh cup a coffee, glarin' at Simon as he did so. That spooked the young Doctor some and he stopped his ramblin's, Hopefully, Jayne thought, he'll get to what the ruttin' hell is goin' on right now.

"There was a school, a government sponsored Academy. We had never even heard of it but it had the most exciting program, the most challenging…"

Jayne looked over at the Cap'n and met his eyes. Cap'n was angry, and he was tryin' his level headed best to give the Doctor a fair hearin'.

"We could have sent her anywhere, we had the money, but…she wanted to go. She wanted to learn. She was fourteen."

Just how long ago did she go to this gorram academy? Jayne asked hisself. Five, six years? And so, what's the big deal?

Simon hesitated, unsure of where to go from here.

"I got a few letters, at first, and then…I didn't hear for months." he shook his head. "Finally I got a letter that made no sense. She talked about things that never happened, jokes that we never….it was a code. It just said "they're hurting us – get me out."

A cipher? Jayne was impressed. Clever thin' to think of to get past any government spooks. And at her age, definite like no counter intelligence training….Jayne's brow furrowed as he thought on unfamiliar words that made all too much sense.

Zoe broke the silence. "How did you do it?" she asked.

"Money." Simon replied. "And luck. For two years I couldn't get near her. Then I was contacted by some men, some underground movement, they said that she was in danger…that the government was…playing with her brain. If I funded them they could sneak her out in cryo, get her to Persephone and from there I could take her ….wherever."

Inara was concerned. "Will she be alright?"

As nice as that was to ask Jayne thought that it was a gorram stupid question to be askin'. If what the Doc said was true – and Jayne could tell from his body language that he was tellin' the truth, mostly – the girl was likely to be damaged in ways he couldn't start to fathom.

"I don't know if she will be alright, I don't know what they did to her – or why. I just have to keep her safe."

Book was pensive. "That's..quite a story, Son."

Cap'n though, was still mad. "Yeah. It's a tale of woe." Mal was clearly unconvinced. "Very stirring. But in the meantime, you heaped a world a trouble on me and mine.."

And he's right Jayne mused. The boy, and the gorram girl, could bring a world a hurt down on _Serenity _if it was a black government program she was in.

"I never thought.." the Doctor started, but Mal cut him off.

"No I don't imagine you thought." Mal said as he advanced into Simon's personal space. "The consequence of which I got a kidnapped Federal officer onboard, we got the Alliance hard on our trail, and Kaylee…."

"How much does the Alliance know?' Zoe turned and asked her husband.

"I can't say. I killed the message pretty quick, they must just have had our position,…" Wash shrugged as he gave his answer.

Mal turned from Simon to face his crew.

"Or they might have personal profiles on each and every one of us." The Cap'n supplied. "Until that Fed wakes up we won't know."

"So whatta we do?" Jayne asked, He was fairly certain they'd be some interrogatin' to be done, and that'd be his job.

Mal hesitated a few seconds while he thought on a response. "The job. We finish the job. I got word from Patience she's waitin' for us."

Both Jayne and Zoe thought it was the wrong thing to do, right now, but kept silent.

"We slip around to Whitefall, make the deal, and get out. Keep flyin'."

"What about us?" Simon asked – he was thinking the Captain was not convinced to help them out of their predicament.

Turning back to Simon, Mal gave him his answer. "Kaylee comes through, you and your sister get off at Whitefall."

"If she doesn't come through?"

"Then you're getting' off a mite sooner."

The crew erupted in an uproar as everyone gave their point of view. Jayne was silent on what Mal had proclaimed about Simon and River. He didn't think Mal would space 'em, and to be perfectly honest he knew right there and then there was no way he was gonna let Mal space the girl if the Cap'n tried.

None of this was the girls fault at all, and it looked like he'd have an ally or two if a showdown with the Cap'n was needed.

Simon, well, he wasn't that keen on the man. He had balls, sure, to do what he'd done so far. Jayne could relate to the why, but fact is Lil Kaylee was gut shot because of what Simon had done. It were on him, whatever happened. He was the gorram girls' brother though.

Still, his _Serenity _family came first. He'd make sure the girl was safe – she weren't getting' off a Whitefall neither if Jayne had anythin' to say about it, and he would. She wouldn't last an hour there before she was robbed, or worse. But if it came down to it, Simon _was _on his own. How he'd separate keepin' the girl safe from throwin' the Doctor off the ship, either on Whitefall or in The Black, was somethin' he'd have to work on later. But for now he'd just have to do some trademark deflectin'.

"The Fed, Cap'n I'm scratchin' my head wonderin' why we ain't dealt with 'im yet." Jayne said over the hullaballoo.

No one, it seemed, 'cept Jayne, was keen on doin' somethin' about the Fed, and this time the uproar continued until Mal had had enough.

"_Ni men dou bi zui!" _he yelled to get everyone's attention. "We gotta deal with what's in front of us."

Jayne walked back to the kitchen as Inara spoke quietly with Mal. He had his own thinkin', and if it came to that, plannin' to do. He had a powerful need, for some reason, to protect the girl.

_You failed Claire _his mind whispered and Jayne just shook his head at the stray thought.

He just had to find some way to protect the girl, _and_ protect his family on _Serenity. _They came first, but there had to be a way to accomplish both goals. There _had_ to be.

It all came down to how much info on the ship and crew the ruttin' Fed had sent to the cruiser. Until they knew that, no plans could be made.

Well, Jayne smirked. Five minutes with that Fed and we'll know what he knows. It was one a Jayne's special talents. "Time to pay the man a visit." Jayne murmured as his smile grew feral.

**Dobson's Passenger Dorm**

The Cap'n and Jayne had gone to see the gorram Fed, Dobson. Mal roughly pulled the duct tape off the little weasel who then took the opportunity to spit on the floor. Nice.

"I'm in a tricky position," Mal started, "I got me a boatload of terribly strange folk makin' my life a little more interestin' than I generally like. Chief among them, an Alliance mole….."

Mal looked over to Jayne who hadn't moved since takin' his position in the corner. He had his big scary man face on, staring at Dobson with menace and the promise of violence to come.

"..who likes to shoot at girls when he's nervous." Mal advanced on Dobson with menace is his own eyes. "Now I gotta know close the Alliance is, _exactly _how much you told 'em before Wash scrambled your call."

Dobson looked up from his seat on the bed at Mal and frowned. No way he was going to give this _Browncoat _Captain the information he wanted.

"So," the Cap'n continued, "I've given Jayne here the job of finding out."

Jayne smirked at Dobson as he drew _Binky,_ his Rough Rider Patrick Henry Liberty Bowie knife, and as he gestured with _Binky _he looked right into Dobson's eyes and said, "He was non specific as to how.."

Although the man deserved it, Jayne wasn't gonna hurt him none if he could avoid it. The Cap'n wanted him whole, for some reason, and Jayne would abide by those wishes – for now.

Dobson licked his lips in fear as Jayne approached him, nervousness written over his entire body. His first thought was to try some false bravado, and as Jayne sat real close in front of him he stated "Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in?"

Unimpressed, Jayne showed the Fed what real bravado was by replying "Gee, I've never been in trouble with the law before."

"No, not like this you haven't. You think this is just a smuggling rap? The package that boy is carrying…"

"It's a girl." Jayne interrupted. "Cute, too." Gorram girl is more than cute he thought as he started to think on her again. He shook his head internally as thinkin' on the girl was startin' to derail his interrogation.

"That girl's a precious commodity." Dobson stated, to Jayne's surprise. He needed to find out why. "They'll come after her. Long after you bury me, they'll be coming."

Jayne laughed in the man's face, surprising him. He slapped the Fed with _Binky _as he told him "We're not gonna kill you Dobson….what's your first name?" Time to get the interrogation back on track. Askin' for their first name was a classic technique, if he gave that up that was the start of the slippery slope to tellin' all that needed to be told.

Dobson hesitated for a few seconds. "Lawrence." he finally said.

Too easy thought Jayne. "Lawrence." he smiled. "hmm, just gonna cut on ya until ya tell us how much they know."

Wasting no time Dobson began to spill the beans. "They know everything. They know every name, every record, they know how many….nose hairs you've got."

Jayne accessed the man's body language and sighed.

"Ah see," he said as he stood up, disappointed, "they don't know a damn thing. It's all over your face I ain't even…" Jayne waved _Binky _menacingly in Dobson's face, "…I was gonna get me an ear too." He was _very_ disappointed in Dobson's resistance, or lack thereof. "Ain't you an Officer of The Law?" Dobson didn't reply. "well don't they teach ya how to withstand interrogation? You can't even tell a damn lie!"

For his part, Dobson decided to change tactics. He'd underestimated Jayne's intelligence, as most did. Jayne had perfectly crafted his demeanour. Playin' a simple man gave him an edge, and you needed every advantage you could get in his line a work.

"OK, I can see you're not an idiot." Dobson said, thinking on his next tactic.

"Wish I could say the same Lawrence, but this is disappointing as hell." Jayne said as he shook his head in frustration.

"Let me speak a language you will understand. Money." Dobson stated, without having the courage to look Jayne in the eye. "This girl is worth a lot of money. I mean _a lot. _Now you kill me there's nothing." he said as Jayne feigned interest. "But," Dobson continued as he finally looked Jayne in the eyes, "if you help me out, you'll have enough to buy your own ship….a better one than this piece of crap."

"Does helpin' you out mean turnin' on the Cap'n?" Jayne asked.

"Yes it does." was Dobson's simple reply.

Jayne was thoughtful for a few moments. He wasn't thinkin' on betrayin' the Cap'n at all. Fact was, he was livid. _Money? _He may have started on _Serenity _as a simple Merc, but his current attitude was as far from mercenary as it could be. It took all of his willpower not to slot the smug _kuh wuh _Fed. That wouldn'ta been helpful as they may need the _yi da dwei bun chou roh _later. Besides, Cap'n said not to, and he'd got what he came for anyways.

The Alliance didn't know any specifics. That meant they had some time. Not much, but probably enough to do the job on Whitefall and get clear. They _really _needed the coin. No coin, no fuel. No fuel, no flyin'. _Serenity _needed to keep movin' if they were to get outta this mess and his shipboard family were to be safe.

And then there was the girl.

Jayne roughly reapplied the duct tape over the mouth of the weasel, his brow furrowed as he thought on the girl. And he still owed Dobson for Lil Kaylee – that debt had yet to be paid.

Dobson smiled to himself. He was sure the Mercenary's thoughtful look was due to his offer. He was certain he'd have help before long.

**Reavers!**

Jayne was down in his bunk thinkin' of makin' a visit to the Infirmary, just to see how Lil Kaylee was doin' a course. Before he could decide on whether that was a good idea or not, the Cap's voice came over the speaker.

"This is the Captain. We're passin' another ship. Looks to be Reavers. By the size probably a raiding party. It could be there headed somewhere particular, could be they've already hit someone and they're full up. So, everyone..stay..calm. If we try to run, there apt to chase us – it's their way. We're holdin' course, we should be passin' them in a minute. So we'll see what they do. "

Decision made for him, Jayne weaponed up. Already wearing _Boo _and _Binky, _he grabbed his machine gun _Lux _and for good measure, his favourite heavy assault rifle _Vera. _Grenades completed his loadout as he left his bunk and headed for the Infirmary to guard Lil Kaylee….and River….as best he could.

Striding in to the Infirmary he saw both girls out cold – Doc had them under sedation. Probably best if'n anythin' untoward happened and Jayne couldn't save 'em. Shepherd Book was there, looking grim and clutching his Bible. Mebbe _Yeh Soo _would come to the rescue? Couldn't hurt none if Book prayed for a miracle.

Simon was standin' by his sister ready to do what he could. Which was prolly just ta get in the way.

Both men relaxed visibly as Jayne cocked _Vera _and stood facin' the door to the Infirmary, ready to protect them all if needed.

Reavers scared Jayne. Only an idiot wouldn'ta been scared of 'em. But Jayne was confident he could taken a fair few of 'em. Enough? Who knows? But somethin' else about Reavers other than their combat capability unnerved Jayne – always had. It was if he should know more about 'em than he did. He'd never faced 'em before, he was sure. But sometimes he was sure he had. Yet another conundrum ta pile on all tha others. He was past the head shakin' stage with all a it, and he promptly forgot it all as he concentrated on various tactical strategies.

It was useless to fight the Reavers in the cargo bay. There weren't enough gun hands to stop a whole passell of Reavers from swarmin' them. They'd be outflanked in no time. The Infirmary was a decent defensive position. Only one way the Reavers could get it. A course only one way they could get out if it came ta that. As he automatically calculated defensive fire arcs and blast radii for his grenades, he once again wondered why all this came so natural like to 'im. He was mighty grateful, though, for whatever the reason.

The wait was tense, and after a few minutes the speaker brought Jayne out of his musin's.

"This is the Captain. The Reaver ship has not altered course ta follow us. We appear ta be in the clear."

Jayne heard both The Shepherd and The Doctor sigh audibly. He ignored them and their questioning looks as he took one last look at Kaylee – and River – and marched outta the Infirmary without a word, headin' back to his bunk.

Truth be told he was mighty relieved his ownself.

**Bridge Same Time**

Mal watched the Reaver ship on the sensor display until it was out of range. He didn't truly relax, even then, but he was as satisfied as he could be.

"Wash, keep us on course to Whitefall…and keep a sharp out our for our friends. No sense getting' slack. I reckon we were plumb lucky this time."

"Sure Mal." the pilot nodded, he had planned to do just that.

"Anyways, gonna check the rest of the ship, make sure it's all shiny." The Captain said as he walked off the bridge, not waitin' for Wash's reply.

He went straight to the Infirmary to check on Kaylee first.

As he entered the Infirmary he noted both girls were sleepin', with the young Doctor standin' guard over his sister.

"Doctor." he nodded to the young man, but before he could continue Simon got in first.

"I must thank you Captain."

The Doctor should have many counts on which to thank Mal. Fact he ain't been spaced top among them. But Mal just looked at him, waiting to see just what the Doctor was talkin' about.

"For sending Jayne in. There wouldn't have been anything The Shepherd and I could have done to defend my patient, my sister, and ourselves of course, if those monsters had boarded us. I will admit to being terrified at the thought, having your man in here allowed me to concentrate on caring for my patients."

Mal was shocked, why would Jayne have come here, out in the open? Surely he would have locked himself away for a last stand? He recovered quickly and nodded to the Doctor.

"It seemed like the right thing to do." And it was – only he hadn't thought of it.

"Well, yes, nevertheless thank you. It was a most…impressive sight. Many, large guns. I did wonder why you'd have such a man as part of your crew on a transport. What is his job on this ship, if I may ask?"

"Public relations." Mal stated.

The Captain then enquired on Kaylee, and his sister. Simon fell in to full lecture mode, and although Mal only got the gist of what the Doctor was sayin', it appeared the gist was that they were doin' well.

"Well Doc, I need to check the rest a the ship. Let me know when Lil Kaylee wakes, _dong ma?"_

"Certainly Captain."

Mal headed for the engine room, but truth be told his mind was elsewhere. On his Merc, as it happened. The man was full of surprises lately, of the good kind, seems like he was really tryin'. And the more that Mal thought on it, the more he thought maybe he might be able to trust the man, after all.

"I guess we'll just see what we'll see." he said to no one in particular as he entered the engine room.

**Whitefall – Georgia System – Next Day**

The meet to drop off the goods from the illegal salvage operation was to happen today. Patience, old hag that she was, hadn't bothered to haggle over price. That meant one thing – a trap.

Still, it was the best – the only – option Mal had to make a much needed deal quickly. He'd go ahead with the drop, even if it was a trap. That didn't mean they'd be goin' in like noobs.

The meet was scheduled to take place in a narrow valley, a perfect place for an ambush.

Jayne caught up as the Cap'n and Zoe were surveyin' the valley. He'd been to stash the goods, as per standard procedure.

"I buried 'em good." he said as he past a stolen Alliance protein bar to Mal. It'd be proof they'd got the goods. "Mule's back on the boat." Mal and Jayne would keep in contact via radio, Jayne placed the receiver into his ear and said "Testin', testing…Cap'n can you hear me?"

"I'm standin' right here." deadpanned the Cap'n.

Jayne rolled his eyes. "Sure, Cap, but can you hear me over the radio?" Dumbass.

Mal didn't answer, which was answer enough. He only smiled and went on surveyin' the lay of tha land.

"Patience is gonna figure we buried the cargo. Which means puttin' us to ease before there's any action. She'll come at us from the east," Mal pointed with the protein bar, "talk the location out of us. She'll have the coin to show us first..we get it, give the location, sniper's hit us from there, "Mal pointed left to a spot half way up the valley to the left, "and there." Another spot further back on the same side.

"You figure they's in place yet?" asked Jayne.

"Should be." Mal turned to Jayne. "Feel like takin' a walk around the park?"

"_Mei wen ti _Cap'n."

"Walk soft, I want Patience thinkin' they're still in place." Mal may not have a whole lot of respect for Jayne as a man, yet, but he had utter confidence in his abilities.

This is what I'm made for, Jayne thought as he took off to hunt the two snipers. Strangely enough, it was always pretty easy, at least for him. The 'Verse seemed to be filled with rank amateurs, compared to Jayne, or so it seemed. Today was no different.

Sniper One was easy to find. Jayne coulda done it with 'is eyes closed, on account a tha man smellin' as bad as he did. His position was poor, at least two ways to sneak up on 'im, easy like. Which he did.

"Knock knock!" Jayne said, and as the startled man turned to face the intruder, he was met with one of Jayne's massive fists. A loud crack and Sniper One was out cold. Jayne quickly tied him up with duct tape. He kept a roll of high quality duct tape, "The Mercenaries Secret Weapon", with him on jobs like this.

"_Bei bi shiou ren." _Jayne was disappointed. No challenge. As usual. Shakin' his head Jayne kicked Sniper One in his man parts for bein' such a _Ri shao gou shi bing _as he left to go in search of Sniper Two.

Sniper Two was a mite harder to find, but still no real challenge. He'd picked a decent spot, except for one thing: it was an obviously decent spot. Still, Jayne would use it, Patience and her possie were expectin' to see a sniper here, and they would. Just wouldn't be who they thought it was.

As Jayne stealthily approached Sniper Two he could see Patience and six of her men enter the valley. Five on horseback and one mule. Time was up, he had to get movin. Sniper Two was a small man, and he was sightin' his scope on Mal and Zoe already. That lasted all a two seconds as once Jayne reached him he grabbed him by his boots and pulled him off his rifle. With no time to waste hog tyin' the man, Jayne chopped the him in the throat, hard, and broke his windpipe. He wouldn't be sightin' on anyone no more.

Jayne was happy at what he found. Sniper Two had a good eye for weapons. The sniper rifle was a Blaser R93, a real nice rifle. He smile faded somewhat when he saw the condition it was in. It was in _go shi _condition. Still, beggars can't be choosers. Settlin' inta the position, Jayne sighted down the rifle and waited for the signal to start takin' down these _k__uh wu hun dun's._

"Ah, ha ha. " Patience said as she approached Mal and Zoe. The old woman looked _real _confident. "Mal! How ya doin' boy?"

"Walkin' and talkin'" he replied.

Jayne listened to the banter over the radio but tuned most of it out. He put the scope on each a tha men, catalogin' the distinctive features of each and notin' their weapons. He was pretty sure who needed to go first, but he'd wait from the signal from Mal.

**Infirmary – Same Time**

River woke with a start. The smoother Simon had given her earlier had clouded her mind. It dulled the minds of others somewhat, but also made her confused and disorientated.

"Simon?" she murmured as she jumped down from the counter which served as the makeshift second bed in the Infirmary.

"What's wrong sweetie?" Kaylee asked. River ignored her.

She could sense something was wrong. No _ge ge, _and no _bao hu zhe! _She stumbled out of the Infirmary to look for them, only to be suddenly grabbed by the weasel Fed. Somehow Dobson had escaped!

"Look at you." he said. "All woke up!" as he put a large gun to her head. At this point the Academy training should have kicked in. It didn't. _Bao hu zhe _was not here, it should have been automatic. It was Simon's drugs. In addition to making her feel unbalanced, the drugs confused her mind to the point where the Academy training could not be triggered. The Academy themselves had used drugs in the same way, for the same purpose.

Dobson threatened Kaylee with her death if she caused any trouble.

"Make so much as a sound and the next one goes through your throat!"

**Valley – The Drop**

The tone of the banter had changed. The trap was sprung and the fun was about to begin. Patience was sure gonna be mighty surprised.

"That's quite a rifle." Mal said to the man with the top hat to the left of Patience. "Boy must be your best shot to carry that."

Patience indulged Mal. "He's called Two-Fry, he always makes it quick and clean."

"Two-Fry." Mal started. "Nice hat."

The signal! Jayne took a deep breath and smoothly squeezed the trigger as he exhaled. The shoot was perfect, as usual. Two-Fry fell off his horse to the ground plumb dead, a nice big hole through his shiny hat.

Pandemonium broke out.

Mal and Zoe drew their weapons and opened fire. Two more of Patience's men went down – as did Zoe, who took a shotgun blast to the chest, knockin' her out cold.

Mal was livid, wanting to run to check on Zoe he couldn't, he was too busy dodging bullets.

Another of the old crone's men went down, courtesy a Jayne.

That left Patience and two, against Mal and Jayne.

**Cargo Bay – **_**Serenity**_

Dobson dragged River to the cargo ramp controls and opened the massive bay door. River was utterly compliant and at his mercy. She should have easily been able to take him down, but couldn't in her drugged state.

_Ge ge!_ She thought as Simon jumped onto Dobson from the catwalk. Simon was no Jayne. It seemed he hurt himself as much as Dobson. The weasel's guns had fallen to the floor between the two men, who were both currently lying on their backs. One dazed, and one winded.

River saw the weapons and knew she had to do something with them. She just couldn't make the connection, and instead just fell back to the stairs, whimpering.

**The Valley**

Someone was havin' fun, and that someone was Jayne. He's wounded another man, but as he went to finish him off the rifle jammed.

"_Da shiong la se la ch'wohn tian!" _he yelled as he tried to clear the jam.

The wounded man was no hero, and he turned his horse and tried to flee. Zoe had just come around as the man on horseback was attemptin' to escape, and she drew her Mare's Leg and shot him down before he could ride away.

As he was about to advance on the old hag, Mal was shot on the arm. He ignored the pain and shot the last of Patience's men in the leg, effectively takin' him outta the fight

That just left old Patience.

Mal looked to Zoe as she got up – her body armor had saved her from serious injury – again.

"Mal don't you take another step!" Patience ordered. She had taken up behind her horse and had a shotgun trained on Mal.

The Browncoat had had enough. He shot the old double crosser's horse which fell to the ground, trapping the old lady underneath. He strode over the pinned woman and cocked his revolver as he pointed it in her face.

"I did a job." he said. "And got nothin' but trouble since I did it. Not to mention a few unkind words as regards to my character. So, let me make this abundantly clear. I do the job. And then I get paid." he stated as he retrieved the pouch with the coin. "Go run your little world." he told Patience as he went to check on Zoe.

At that time Jayne appeared, runnin' full tilt for the duo.

Surprisin', the Cap'n thought, he looks spooked.

"MAL! It's Wash." Jayne yelled as he approached them holding up the radio. "We got a ship comin' in, they followed us. The gorram Reavers followed us!"

**Cargo Bay – **_**Serenity**_

Staring at the guns on the floor of the cargo bay, River could do nothing. She was paralyzed by the confusion, and by fear. Fear for her _ge ge, _fear for herself, and confusion as to the whereabouts of her _ba__o hu zhe. _Maybe she _had_ been dreaming and he existed no where but in her fractured mind? Was she dreaming now? There are guns on the floor, what should I do?

_Hide _her mind said. And she did. As Simon and the Fed grappled, each trying to get the upper hand, River hid behind a crate and covered her eyes, growing more confused with each passing moment.

Each man striking the other, they both fell to the floor. Simon was lucky – he landed right near the smaller of the Lawman's guns, immediately picking it up and shakily pointed it at the Fed.

Suddenly, Wash's urgent call came over the ships' loudspeakers.

"Reavers! Reavers incoming and heading straight for us. We are in the air in one minute!"

What little confidence Simon had in the situation began to waver at the thought of Reavers.

Dobson, sensing this, tried to put him off balance with talk of the law, and how it would interminably seek them. Reavers, if they existed, he would deal with later.

Unsure of what to do next, Simon was distracted momentarily by the sound of the main cargo ramp opening. The Captain and his two gun hands were back!

The small distraction was all Dobson needed to make his move. He smoothly picked the larger of his guns from the floor of the cargo bay, and in the same movement pulled River out from her hiding place and used her as a shield, putting the gun to her head.

The girl was still totally compliant, unable to act as the drugs coursing through her veins brought her to inaction.

"I'm not playing anymore!" Dobson cried as he stared Simon down, emphasizing his point as continued to menace River's head with his gun.

River suddenly looked at The Fed and smiled. "_Ba__o hu zhe." _she simply said, confusing the Lawman.

At that point Mal strode into the cargo bay to be greeted with the sight of the now free Fed holding The Doc's sister hostage. _Not _what he expected.

Nor was it what Dobson expected, but he knew he had the upper hand.

"Whoa! Hold on Dobson, we got Reavers on us, no time for this."

Dobson was unimpressed, not really believing in Reavers in any event.

Another man unimpressed was Jayne, who, having seen off the horses they had appropriated from the dead men of Patience, was last aboard.

Seein' the girl in danger flipped a switch inside a him and his trainin' took over. In a matter of a few seconds he had assessed the tactical situation. Gun to girls head, twitchy Lawman could shoot her at any sign of anyone goin' for the guns holstered at their hips. So primary armament out. Captain tryin' to talk the Lawman around, only makin' the Fed more nervous. He noted there was no one behind the Fed and the Girl. Good. No need to worry about collateral damage.

Jayne was nothin' if not prepared. When he weaponed up, he did it proper like. He might not be able to use _Boo, _but he had _Ingrid _in the small of his back. A Walther PPK, the gun was only 9mm in calibre, low powered and small. Perfect for short range work in places like the cargo bay.

At the exact same moment Jayne drew _Ingrid _something strange happened. The girl _lept_ away from the Fed as Jayne sighted the small pistol and fired, aiming for a head shot.

A split second later Dobson was dead, with a new orifice in his forehead, courtesy a _Ingrid _and Jayne. The _Ching-wah tsao duh liou mahng_ Dobson's day a reckonin' had arrived, as Jayne promised.

The whole crew, sans Wash on the bridge and Kaylee in the Infirmary, were witness to the instant justice served out by Jayne and were shocked.

River's strange behaviour was forgotten as Mal went to check on Dobson. He was dead, considerably.

Mal ordered Jayne to help him toss Dobsons' body off the ship as Zoe raised the cargo ramp and commed Wash to get the bird in the air.

The incoming Reavers still had to be dealt with.

Jayne spared a glance at the girl as he went past. She was starin' at him with a small smile on her face. Jayne gave her a equally small wink in reply. That smile dropped as her brother approached and she began to panic. That was weird, Jayne thought, and as he headed for the bridge he scanned the others in the cargo bay. None a them had seemed to see her smilin' at 'im, they was worried on the Reavers it seemed.

He worried on the Reavers his ownself, but mighty relived that the girl was ok. He'd be doin' some more thinkin' on his day next chance he got, if he got one.

River was both content and frantic. Content that her _Ba__o hu zhe _was real, and was _here, _and frantic for everything else. Her best efforts to become functional in this latest situation were thwarted by Simon's drugs, and although a distant part of her mind knew this to be true, the larger, more insistent and less coherent part overwhelmed her with the help of the constant barrage of the mind's of the ship's crew.

The Reaver ship screamed down towards _Serenity, _with evil purpose. Smoke poured out of its overstressed engines as it bore down on the old mid-bulk transport.

The mood on the bridge was tense as Wash announced they were about 20 seconds away from becoming the Reavers next meal.

"I need Kaylee in the engine room please." he calmly announced.

Mal ordered Jayne, over Zoe's protest, to "Get her in there now!"

Rushing to the Infirmary, Jayne swept Kaylee up, and with The Shepherd's help got her safely to the engine room.

The intention was to go to full burn. In atmo it was a dangerous move. Just as likely to cause a blowback that would engulf _Serenity _as it was to give the vital boost of speed that would hopefully allow them to escape from the pursuing Reaver ship.

The small rational part of River's mind was not worried. She knew she was safe as long as her _Ba__o hu zhe _was near.

Jayne was sure of no such thing his ownself, His confidence was not helped when Kaylee ordered him to do…somethin' with the somethin'. I'm an Operator, not an Engineer his mind screamed as he did his best to follow Lil Kaylee's instructions.

Also doin' their best ta follow were the gorram Reavers. As they flew without containment on their reactor they could produce more power than usual, and that gave them a speed advantage over the old Type 3 Firefly.

The inched closer and closer, and so sure where they of catching up to _Serenity _they armed their magnetic grapple. They'd use that to snare the old girl.

Just as they were about to fire their grapple, they suddenly went from supremely confident to about as shocked as a Reaver could be.

Kaylee, with the help of Book and Jayne, had bypassed the safeties so that a full burn could be attempted in atmo.

On hearing this, Wash through _Serenity _into a Crazy Ivan, basically turned the ship around 180 degrees in an instant to rush towards and then past the now stunned Reavers.

As they move passed the gruesome Reaver ship Wash yelled "Now!", Jayne and Book each doing their own parts to push _Serenity's _engine into full burn.

Stunned Reavers became crispy Reavers, as _Serenity _went to full burn, her blowback totally engulfing the Reaver Trans U which tumbled towards the ground on fire and out of control, as _Serenity _herself raced for The Black.

The relief on the mid-bulk was palpable as Mal commed shipwide "We're good, people. We're out of the woods."

Jayne was mighty pleased with the outcome, and ran through the ship yellin' and hollerin' like a demon, a wide smile on his face. Comin' across Inara and the Tams as they exited the rented shuttle, Jayne picked River up and spun her twice, before puttin' her down and continuin' his hollerin' trek through the rest of the ship.

Simon was too surprised to do anything about it in that short time, he stood gaping while the mercenary continued on with his childish antics.

River however was ecstatic. She stood there with a smile on her face as if it was the first time she saw a puppy. When Jayne had touched her, a jolt of electricity had instantly cleared her mind, and for those few brief seconds she was a normal girl again. Even now she could feel some semblance of order in her mind as Jayne's touch lingered on.

**That Night – The Bridge**

"I hate ta say it, but the girl's a problem." Jayne started. "The Lawman said they'd keep lookin' for her. Somethin' about her brain bein' all special. Important to The Alliance brass. The smart thing would be ta dump them two."

"I suppose so." Mal replied.

"Well, it'd be the smart thing ta do, but it _ain't_ the _right_ thing to do." Jayne continued. As he went to leave a comment from a surprised Mal stopped him in his tracks.

"Funny how the Lawman got out of his room. You havin' tied him up so well an' all." The accusation came out softer than he'd intended, Jayne's "right thing" comment throwing a spanner inta Mal's gears.

"I didn't have nothin' to do with that. The Shepherd was the one who unlocked the door, said so hisself. Anyways, it all turned out just fine. Buzzard's the only one whose gonna find 'im!"

"But he did try and make a deal with you, right?" Mal needed to know.

Jayne remained silent.

Mal turned away and smiled to hisself. "How come ya didn't turn on me Jayne?" he asked.

"Money wasn't good enough."

Turning back to Jayne Mal asked "So what happens when it is?"

"Well," Jayne smirked, "that'll be an interestin' day."

"I imagine it will." his Captain replied as Jayne turned and left the bridge.

Secretly Mal was pleased, very pleased. He'd checked the Cortex for the warrants on the Tam's and found a surprise. The reward for just the girl herself was 200,000 credits, over 20,000 platinum. He'd bought _Serenity _for just 3,500 platinum, the money comin' from sellin' what was left of the family ranch on Shadow after the War.

Twenty _thousand _platinum. That'd buy a real nice ship or three, _and _a real nice base to fly them from. Or any large number a things any Mercenary would love to own.

If Jayne meant what he said, and Mal believed he did, the chances of ever getting' anything over that amount for turnin' on him were as close ta zero as ya could reasonably get.

In short, it seemed like Jayne was sayin' he wasn't gonna betray him. And turning down that much cashy money sure was a sign that the man was serious about wantin' to do the right thing, both by the Tam's, and by his ownself.

Mayhaps it turned out to be a pretty shiny day after all, Mal thought, as he sat down at the pilots chair and looked out inta the vastness of The Black.

**3 AM Next Morning**

Jayne had spent a the night chasing sleep that never quite came. Ev'ry time he closed his eyes his mind's eye mostly saw deep chocolate eyes and long, dark wavy hair. It weren't right ta be thinkin' on the girl so much. And yet, he was. Not in a sexin' kinda way, fer sure, but lookin' inta them eyes a hers was all sorts of captivatin'. They weren't tha eyes of a normal young woman, there was somethin' goin' on behind them, and he had a powerful need to know just what.

Why? He didn't know, his ownself. On the edge of sleep his mind presented the images of a petite girl with long hair and big eyes, and most times it was The Doc's sister, River, and sometimes it weren't. Almost, but not quite her. Why he'd be thinkin' on the girl lookin' just like herself and also like an _almost_ copy was mystifyin'.

Several hours of not quite sleep provided no answers, nor rest, but Jayne knew he needed some sleep. After today. who knows what might happen tomorrow? He did two things when he couldn't sleep: he cleaned his guns or he lifted weights. Liftin' was more likely to tire him out some so he could get a little sleep, so here he was, lifting weights in the dead a night in the cargo hold. Up, down, up, 10 reps, one set, 10 sets, more.

He enjoyed the simple repetition of liftin'. And he enjoyed the mad gains he got from it. Healthy body, healthy mind and all that.

Up, down, up, down….

**3:30 AM Passenger Dorms**

River woke with a start. Academy training kicked in and she scanned the dimly lit room, both with her eyes and mind. No threats detected.

She let her mind extend throughout the ship. Seven minds in sleep mode, one in a conscious state. Jayne Cobb, _Ba__o hu zhe! _The Academy program terminated as it should.

The girl sat up and surveyed her surroundings. The drugs her _ge ge _had given her had mostly worn off, for which she was very glad. That, combined with most of the crew being asleep, allowed her some semblance of control over her mind.

The more people in the immediate area, the more minds that pressed upon her. Eight people, including Simon, paled to the dozens in the grounds of the Academy. The inability to block out so many minds had driven her insane, somewhat, but she certainly should have no trouble blocking eight minds. That number, and even slightly more, she had been able to block previously.

Intellectually, she knew it was the drugs Simon had been administering. The Academy doctors – and the Blue Hands – also gave her drugs in an attempt to control her. The Blue Hands had programmed River's mind so that she could not attack them. Amongst other things, they had also programmed the girl to not resist medical procedures, of any kind.

She fought that when she could, of course, but mostly to no avail.

Now, at this moment, she had some ability to work through what had happened.

Wondrously stolen from the Academy, placed in cryogenic sleep, awoken early and abruptly from same. A terrifying and confusing experience. Found her _ge ge, _who had injected her with drugs in his valiant attempt to help – poor Simon, greater experts than he had found more insidious uses for those drugs. Found her_Ba__o hu zhe, _who had terminated a Federal Marshall holding her hostage. Unable to activate Academy training due to the drugs, and unable to block the minds of those around for the same reason, leading to a bout of mild insanity.

In all, a full day/night cycle of unprecedented events.

Right now she was lucid, but she knew the reprieve would not last. Simon would look to medicine to help, as he always did, and that medicine would render her unable to have control over her own mind. And she would not, could not, resist the misplaced treatment.

But that was tomorrow, hopefully. She concentrated on the one conscious mind and smiled. Jayne Cobb! She would talk to him while she could, he would surely be able to help. He was, after all, her protector.

Following his curious thoughts, up, down, up, down, one, two ,three, she found him in the cargo bay. Ah, muscular training. Pausing on the steps she studied her _Ba__o hu zhe. _If height and mass were indicators of ability, there surely was no finer protector in the 'Verse!

He was also aesthetically pleasing to look at, very pleasing. An excellent choice for a protector.

Suddenly, he sat up, turned his head and looked straight at her, blue eyes locking on to brown. Such piercing eyes, she thought. She had come to talk to him, but at that moment she found herself rendered somewhat speechless.

No one snuck up on Jayne Cobb, and as he turned to see who had tried he was greeted with the sight of his current dilemma. Not who he was expectin'. Still, he had wanted to see her, to see how she was doin', and as she had a habit a doin', the little _jingling _just popped out from nowhere.

Sitting up, their eyes met and Jayne was immediately lost in the pools of brown.

Neither could say how long they just stared at each other, but Jayne was first to recover.

"Gorrammit girl, don't go sneakin' up on me like that. Coulda shot ya or somethin'."

He was rewarded with a 1000 megawatt smile.

Great, girl don't take me seriously, Jayne thought. Sure, fer some reason I gots a need to see the girl safe, don't mean she should not see what a mean _hun dan _I is.

Jayne had managed to raise his ire by his ownself, and took it out on the girl.

"So whatchya want, anyways?" he grumbled.

River wasn't fooled by the false bravado, although she did recognise it is a valid defensive measure.

"_Ba__o hu zhe." _she said as she approached the large man.

"Of course I am." he said indignantly, "That's my job on this here boat. I protect the boat, the crew, the cargo…"

"The girl's _Ba__o hu zhe." _River simply said.

OK, Jayne thought. He _had _been thinkin' along those lines as he made his short speech, it's as if she knew he was thinkin' that.

The girl continued to approach Jayne and she stopped right in front of his weight bench, no more than spittin' distance away.

"She," River started, "no, the girl." River forced herself to concentrate, and she automatically took Jayne's large hands in hers, instantly clearing her mind.

He did not resist as an electric jolt went though his body at the touch. By the look of the girl she had felt it too. What the ruttin' hell?

"_I _would like to thank you."

Both of her soft little hands hardly covered one a his, but he couldn'ta broken free if he'd tried. Not that he wanted ta ya understand.

"What fer?" he finally said.

"For being my protector. She, _I, _know it is your job, but you should be thanked for a job well done." She gave him another 1000 megawatt smile.

Jayne's heart was racin', fer some reason, and it didn't help none when the girl moved even closer to him to stand in between his legs, invadin' his personal space even further. He didn't mind in the slightest.

"And I _need_ your help, desperately. _Ge ge."_

Jayne's heart sank somewhat. _Ge ge, _seriously? Is she _feng le _or somethin', First I'm her personal protector and now she thinks I'm her pansy ass brother?"

River giggled at Jayne's confusion, and bent forward to give him a chaste kiss on the cheek.

Startled, Jayne went to do, well, somethin', when the girl let go of his hands and stepped back.

Then, from out of the darkness came a soft cry.

"River? RIVER!"

She smiled that smile once more at Jayne as she said "_Ge ge."_

Confusion cleared as Jayne understood what had happened. Before he could question the girl on just how the gorram hell she knew her brother was comin', she wheeled around and walked up the stairs to intercept Simon before he caught sight a Jayne.

"River! There you are. You can't go wandering throughout this garbage scow, you might hurt yourself…"

Jayne was left to his own devices, with more questions, a few answers, and a pleasant burnin' sensation on his cheek. Gorram girl…

A/N Next a reimagining of _The Train Job. _

Chinese:

_Juh shi suh mo go dohng shee?- _What the hell is this crap?

_Tian líng líng, dì líng ling – _Abracadabra - alakazam

_Me__lì de xiao jīnglíng – _Beautiful pixie

_Feng le - _Crazy

_Dong ma? – _Understand?

_Ni men dou bi zui! – _Everybody shut the hell up!

_kuh wuh - _Dispicable

_Yi da dwei bun chou roh – _Big stupid pile of stinking meat

_Yeh Soo - _Jesus

_Mei wen ti – _No problem

_Bei bi shiou ren – _Pathetic wretch

_Ri shao gou shi bing – _Pile of sun baked dog crap

_Go shi – _Crap, useless

_Ge ge – _Older brother

_Bao hu zhe - _Protector

_Da shiong la se la ch'wohn tian! – _Explosive diarrhea of an elephant!

_Ching-wah tsao duh liou mahng – _Frog humping SOB


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 8 – The Train Job**

**A/N **Another long Chapter, I just can't seem to make them any shorter. You may have guessed, but this is not just a Rayne story. I'm also trying to fill some plot holes and right some wrongs, especially when it comes to Jayne. And it's AU because of this.

**June 2517 – Alliance Friendly Bar**

Three weeks had gone by since the job on Whitefall. That gave Jayne plenty of time to ponder on his present situation. Unfortunately, he hadn't gotten any answer to the passel a questions he had, mainly about the girl. He ain't been able to talk to the girl again neither. That brother a hers had her under virtual house arrest. The only time he'd seen here was at meal times, and the Doc had the little genius under some new drug regime every other day it seemed, and them drugs basically turned the _jingling _into a gorram zombie.

It didn't seem right to Jayne, but he had no say in tha matter.

When the Cap'n had invited him to go for a drink with him and Zoe, Jayne was surprised. The only time they went out as a trio was when they was on a job. If they went out socializin' the whole crew would go.

He was surprised put pleased. The Cap'n had warmed up to him, some, over the last three weeks, and Jayne thought maybe they were startin' to form the beginnin's of a friendship. And getting' wasted seemed like a good idea, might calm his nerves some. A willin' whore woulda been an automatic part of that package a year or so ago, but that'd happened less frequently as time had gone one. And the thought of a hirin' a whore right now didn't sit well with Jayne at all at the moment.

So here the three of them were, havin' drinks and playin' Chinese Checkers, of all things. The atmosphere was pretty good, and Jayne found he was enjoyin' hisself somewhat.

"Your move." he said to the Cap'n.

Mal moved his piece, and Zoe immediately saw an openin'.

"That's a bold move Sir."

"I live on the edge." Mal replied.

Zoe smiled as she moved her piece considerably further than Mal had managed.

"Nice work dumbass." Jayne said, as he smiled at the Cap'n.

Mal was about to reply when a surly voice yelled "A toast!"

The trio abandoned their game to listen to the loud mouth make his toast.

The loud mouth, Lund, was makin' a toast to the gorram Alliance. Apparently it was a suspicious day, or somesuch.

"Suspicious? What day is it?" Jayne asked.

Mal ignored him as he got up and went to the bar for another drink, despite Zoe's warnin's.

Jayne could see Lund have words with the Cap'n, and before you knew it Zoe was over them with him. The fight began when Zoe fair clocked Lund in the head with her Mare's Leg.

Turns out it was Unification Day. Jayne had been aboard for the last two U-Days, and Mal and Zoe had gone off for a quiet drink and come back worse for wear on both. Apparently it was a tradition a sorts for them, and Jayne was actually a mite touched that he'd been invited along this year.

Soon enough, Mala and Zoe were outnumbered seven to two and things weren't goin' so well.

"Jayne!" Zoe called out, and the seven turned to look at him.

"Hey, I didn't fight in no war. Best of luck though…" he said as he raised his glass to them.

The seven Alliance men turned back to Mal and Zoe, Jayne forgotten, which was, in fact, his plan. A fight was _exactly _what he needed, but he didn't need ta take on seven at once.

The seven advanced on the Cap'n and his First Mate, and it wasn't long before they were in real trouble. Two threw Mal through the holo window and raced outside to finish the job.

Another two attacked Zoe, but she was able to hold her own, as she also raced outside to help her Captain.

That left three. Now seven on one might be a stretch, but three on one was good odds for Jayne, who waded into the distracted men and started to pound on them.

Mal was wonderin' on Jayne as he heard clear fightin' sounds from within the bar.

"Is Jayne even.." he began to ask Zoe as the man in question stormed outta the bar, fightin' three and winnin'. One was on his back, but only for a second as Jayne elbowed him in the face. The other two Jayne held at bay with a gorram table!

Jayne was enjoyin' himself immensely, his troubles temporarily forgotten as he punch, kicked and pushed man after man.

Soon though, with their backs to a cliff edge, they were facin' _eleven _men. Looked like trouble. But they was in real trouble when Lund appeared and pulled a gun.

Jayne was madder than hell. Now a fist fight was a fist fight, it was fun and all, but when steel was drawn it became no laughin' matter.

"Them aint kosherized rules." he growled at the ugly drunk.

Lund didn't care about that. "I'm thinkin' someone should put you down, dog. What do you think?" he said as he pointed his large gun at Mal.

Mal was unimpressed. "I'm thinkin' we'll rise again."

As he said that, the reason for Mal's confidence rose from behind the cliff with a loud roar, dwarfing the combatants. _Serenity _had arrived for the rescue!

Suddenly Wash's voice came over the external loudspeakers.

"Every man there: go back inside or we will blow a new crater in this little moon."

Lund and his men backed off, clearly not happy with the situation, but unable to do a gorram thing about it.

_Serenity's _main cargo ramp lowered, allowing the trio to step aboard and make their escape. Mal smirked and waved at the Alliance friendly men as the cargo ramp was raised.

The trio were relieved to be back aboard, and Jayne was in a mighty fine mood. He'd had a great time, just what he needed.

"Damn yokels can't even tell a transport ship ain't got no guns on it!" he said, chucklin' and shakin' his head. "Blow a new crater in this moon!' he continued as he let out a loud, full, rich laugh. He continued to laugh as he made his way to his bunk.

**The Infirmary – Same Time**

Sleep was no sanctuary for the genius girl. River's sleep was invaded by nightmares, memories of terrible torture, of invasive procedures, all at the bequest of the Blue Hands and their minions at the Academy.

River woke with a start. The very small but growing part of her mind that was somehow connected to her _Ba__o hu zhe _knew he had returned, safe and apparently very satisfied. Jayne's returning presence had saved her from her nightmare.

The much larger and crazier part of her mind was in charge, however, and as she woke she leapt off the examination bed and stumbled into a tray of medical instruments. Remembering her nightmare she collapsed against the bench, covered her eyes and began to sob.

Her brother approached her in the hope of settling her down before any one saw her antics. The Captain had made it quite clear. River was _not _to interrupt the "smooth" running of his boat with any craziness.

"River. River, it's okay. It's me." he said as he crouched down to her level. The girl continued to sob as he asked her "Do you know who I am?"

The girl rolled her eyes and gave her brother her best "boob" face. "Simon." _Duh._

At least the ridiculous question had stopped her sobbing.

"Were you dreaming? Did you dream about the Academy?"

River tried to concentrate as she stood. It was hard, very hard. The drug regimen her brother gave her made her mind a mess of constant fuzziness. She didn't need them, not really, not with so few people on this ship. Simon, dear Simon, just didn't understand. He couldn't, the doctor within him was too strong.

"It's not relevant." she said, trying to drop the subject.

Her brother wouldn't, though, and he spoke as she investigated her surroundings.

"If you can talk about what happened there,..I know it's hard, but the more I know, the faster you'll get better. I promise."

She couldn't understand how he could promise, when he refused to look past his own preconceived ideas. Still not wanting to talk about the Academy, the girl once again tried to change the subject.

"This isn't home."

Simon's face fell. "No, no, we can't go home. If we go home they'll just send you back to the Academy." River shook her head vigorously. "This is safer now. We're on a ship!" Simon finished cheerfully.

River looked around, trying to remember all she could about where she was.

"Midbulk transport, standard radion-accelerator core, classcode 03 dash K64, "Firefly." She had gotten the type of ship from Jayne's mind when they had spoken, the rest of the information flowing naturally from she knew not where.

With that pronouncement, the Firefly's Captain strode in to the Infirmary, lookin' to clean up some after the day's fun.

"Well that's somethin'," he started, "I can't even remember all that."

River ignored the two men as they spoke on the other side of the Infirmary. She had more important things to think about. She desperately wanted to leave the Infirmary and find Jayne. He would help her make Simon understand. But she couldn't. The conditioning of her mind by the Blue Hands meant she could not leave a medical facility without the Doctor's permission. Simon, of course, would not let her out of his sight. He is a good brother, but a boob, she thought. And once again she could not begin to fight the Blue Hand's programming with her mind in such a drug weakened state.

As the Captain left the Infirmary, Simon approached his sister with his latest drug. Mustering what strength she had by focusing on the image of the man she know knew was called Jayne Cobb, she threw the tray of instruments she had stumbled into earlier at him, unable to voice the distress she was feeling at the thought of more drugs. Her mind screamed at Simon to understand, and her resistance collapsed as she could see in his eyes that he did not.

She slumped back on the bed as the drugs coursed through her veins. Her last lucid thought was of Jayne, and hopes that he would be able to make her boob of a brother see the light.

**Niska's Skyplex – Hours Later**

As it turned out, the brawl on U-Day weren't the only reason for the valiant crew of _Serenity _to be in that Alliance bar. A contact had passed a job to the Cap'n, and here we are, thought Jayne, about to dock with a skyplex.

Adelai Niska. Jayne thought he knew the name, but this fact, like many others, danced on the periphery of his mind, and would not come into the light.

The Cap'n said Niska had a bad reputation, and all the females and passengers were confined to quarters for the duration of their stay here.

If that don't mean the whole job stinks, then Jayne was the King of Londinium. At least he wouldn't have to worry none on the girl; she was locked up tight with her pansy ass brother.

As they entered the Skyplex Jayne tensed. He hadn't seen a facility like this afore, but gorram it he had! The whole place screamed "professionals!" to him. It was a major change on the kinds of haunts the usual crime lords they dealt with had, and Jayne made sure he took in every detail he could.

As their escort opened the door to Niska's inner sanctum they were confronted by a massive man, one a Niska's prime henchmen. Jayne laughed at the sight to hisself. The man was big, sure, but almost a parody of the perfect henchman. He don't look like a pro, like the others he'd seen.

From inside a heavily accented man spoke.

"Is fine. Crow, they can come in."

The trio entered Niska's office, finally seeing the man hisself. He looked like a book keeper more than a crime lord, but Jayne had learnt very early not to judge any book by its cover. Or a book keeper for that matter.

"Malcolm Reynolds is which?" the book keeperish crime lord asked.

"I'm Captain Reynolds." Mal spoke up, "My First Mate Zoe," he said as he nodded at his second, "And this is my Head of Security, Jayne." Mal gestured with his thumb.

"Very nice. I'm Adelai Niska, you've seen Crow, he loves to stand at the door and say "Boo!"

Is this guy _feng le _thought Jayne, or mebbe it's just a tactic to throw us off? This Niska was a mite unsettlin'; Jayne decided it was part of his persona to get the upper hand in the negotiations.

Whilst Niska and Mal discussed the job, Jayne continued to survey the room. He took in everythin'. You never knew when some small detail may become crucial like.

Suddenly, Crownan the Barbarian, Jayne chuckled to hisself, opened a door and what he saw knocked the humour outta Jayne's thoughts. A man, hideously tortured, hung from the ceiling. Apparently this was the last man who failed to do tha job Niska wanted. His wife's nephew no less.

Mal and Zoe looked unsettled, as was Jayne his ownself. All his instincts told him that this job stunk to high heaven, to get the hell outta Dodge and never look back. Trouble was, Mal had already agreed to the job. He may have a nascent friendship with Mal, but he could still be a dumbass.

"So, " Niska started, the train job."

Jayne stared at Crow starin' at him as Niska went over the details of the job. This were much less fun than the last starin' competition he'd had, and Jayne was mighty keen to get the hell off this space station.

With most of the details complete, Niska gave his final speech.

"Half the money now, Crow gives you the other half at rendezvous point. Anything goes wrong…then your reputation is only gossip, and things between us are not so solid. Yes?"

The warnin' was clear, and each crew member was lost in their own thoughts as they left Niska's inner sanctum and returned to _Serenity._

**Georgia System - Hover Train – Somewhere Between Hancock and Paradiso – Next Day**

_Serenity _flew parallel to the hover train, some 300 yards away. The Captain and Zoe were on the train, and if'n it all goes to plan – and with Mal doin' the plannin' you could never be sure – the signal would soon come through for Jayne's part in the heist to begin.

Walkin' inta the cargo bay, Jayne heard the Cored Bred Doctor ask Lil Kaylee "Is there anything I can, something I should be doing?"

Smirkin' Jayne supplied the answer.

"Stayin' the hell outta everyone's way!"

"No call to be snappy Jayne." Kaylee a course was all for defendin' the Doc, despite bein' gut shot earlier on account of tha man.

Exasperated, Jayne looked away from Simon ta Kaylee, "Are you about to jump onta a movin' train?" he asked her.

Fair point Kaylee thought.

"Just cause Mal says you're Medic don't make ya part of tha crew." Jayne started, lookin' back at Simon. "You just play at figurin' what's wrong with that moon brained sister a yours till we call for ya, _dong ma?" _

That last part had come out far softer than he'd planned, and Jayne was unable to keep the genuine sound of concern outta his voice.

"Right." Simon said, a little confused by Jayne's tone.

As Simon turned to leave, Jayne spied the girl in question sitting on the catwalk above. Somehow she'd managed to slip away from her brother and was watchin' him intently as Kaylee tested the hoist and attached the cable to Jayne's harness.

It was the first time he'd seen in her in weeks away from the dinner table, and although he couldn't have a private conversation with the girl with Kaylee right there, he made sure the mechanic was preoccupied with the equipment as he strapped his hat on, looked up at River and winked, sayin' "Time for some thrillin' heroics!"

River had managed to leave the Infirmary. It hadn't been easy to fight the programming, but with the Doctor – Simon – not in the room and with the effects of the drug waning she had won a small victory. It wouldn't, couldn't last, but she would go to Jayne if she could and get him to help her.

She found him in the cargo bay, but she also found Simon, and the mechanic, Kaylee. She found she liked Kaylee, but Kaylee's mind was loud with happy thoughts, mainly of Simon funnily enough, and close proximity to the cheerful girl could overload River's mind.

She obviously could not go and speak with Jayne, even if Kaylee was not there, as _ge ge _was. Non optimal. _Ba__o hu zhe _saw off _ge ge_, though, and River giggled to herself. It was funny to see the way Jayne handled Simon. If she could get him to understand her predicament, she was sure he could convince, or coerce, Simon to take the correct course of action.

Panic rose, slightly, in River as she realised Simon would soon discover her disappearance from the Infirmary.

Jayne must have seen her panic, she thought, as he looked her right in the eye and winked, saying "Time for some thrillin' heroics!" His smile melted her heart and the panic was instantly quashed as she smile shyly back at her protector.

Up on the Bridge, Wash's console beeped as the countdown expired for the next phase of the operation. He'd been keeping _Serenity _to one side of the train. Now he'd have to fly her directly over the train, and not too far above it either. Dangerous flying, but he was up to the task.

Kaylee opened up the belly of the Firefly once Wash had them over the correct train car. The turbulence was as bad as he expected as he fought the controls to keep the ship steady.

Fighting the wind, Jayne used hand signals to count down for his jump onto the fast moving' hover train. Three, two, ONE! And he was gone from the Type 3 Firefly and onto the top of the train car.

Fortunately, Mal had been able to remove the top access hatch of the hurtlin' hover train, allowin' Jayne to flip through the hole and into the train car itself.

Mal gave Jayne a smile as he patted him on the shoulder, and with no time to waste he took the extra cables Jayne had attached to himself and connected them to the cargo net which would haul the loot, and the valiant crew, back up to the ship.

Things never seem to work out, especially when Mal does the plannin', 'cause at that instant the smoke grenade Zoe had left at the entrance to the train car was tripped by a gorram Fed, with the smoke coverin' the Purplebellies face.

Said Fed was shocked, and he did what every blinded man with a large automatic rifle should do. He started firing, wildly, and while Zoe and Mal were able to dive for cover, Jayne was standin' astride the looted crates and was hit in the leg.

"_Wang bao dahn!" _Jayne cried as he was hit. It weren't a bad injury, but still hurt like a summbitch. "Go!" he yelled into the radio, "GO! GO NOW!"

The last thin' Jayne saw as he was winched outta the train car was the Cap'n take out the ruttin' Fed. Take that you _Ung jeong jia ching jien soh!_

The loot crates landed with a thud on the deck of the cargo bay as Kaylee closed up the belly of the mid bulk transport.

Jayne rolled off the loot crates and onta tha floor, unable to stand on his increasingly painful leg.

**Infirmary – Same Time**

River had been right.

As soon as Simon had discovered her missing from the Infirmary he had scoured the ship in search of his genius sister. She wasn't hard to find, she'd remained as long as she could in her observation position in the catwalk over the cargo bay. The girl wasn't exactly hiding. She was waiting for Jayne to return.

As she tuned out his lecture she let her mind touch Jayne's, he wasn't that far way, after all.

Despite hanging from _Serenity's _belly, travelling at 324.45 feet per second, he appeared to be enjoying himself. He is so brave she thought as she smiled briefly.

Suddenly pain shot through Jayne's mind into hers. He had been injured by a bullet, fired by a Federal Marshall.

The girl felt a rage explode within her that she did not know existed. _Someone had hurt her Ba__o hu zhe! _Despite having been given her afternoon shot, as prescribed by Simon's drug regimen only a short time before, her rage triggered the Academy programming.

The programming had already categorised Simon as a minimal threat. He would be disabled as quickly and cleanly as possible, using the minimum amount of force. In some part of her mind he was still _ge ge._

Then she received an update from her connection with Jayne. One bullet had entered the lower leg, not a serious injury, however it was painful. As she was about to act she saw through Jayne's eyes that the Captain was in the process of dealing with the Federal Marshall.

Threat neutralised.

As Jayne was hoisted back aboard _Serenity, _her battle program terminated. He was no longer in danger, but was injured and required medical attention. With the programming no longer active, Simons drugs once again started to take hold of her fragile mind.

All this took place in no more than thirty seconds.

The last thing she heard before her mind slipped into neutral was Kaylee's cry for Simon to come help Jayne urgently. The genius girl knew that her _ge ge_ would fix Jayne, and she gave a wan smile as she laid down on the bench to rest her now drug weary body.

**The Infirmary – Short Time Later**

Jayne was in a powerful angry mood. He'd been shot, sure, but that happened on a regular like basis. No, what made 'im angrier than hell was that Wash had decided to park _Serenity _in a small canyon – and he wouldn't move her to meet Niska's associates.

The Doc was patchin' his leg, for which he was distantly thankful, but when Wash entered the Infirmary all thoughts a patchin up were lost as he rose to meet the little man.

"Why ya got us parked here? This ain't the rendezvous spot!"

"It is now." Wash replied.

"Niska's people are waitin'. They're not partial to waitin'."

Wash was unrepentant. "Let 'em read a magazine. We don't make the sale until Mal and Zoe are back on the boat."

"These are stone killers, little man. They ain't cuddly like me." Jayne tried to reason with the pilot.

"I'm not flying anywhere without my wife."

Jayne was livid.

"Do the job. Get paid. Keep flyin'." he said as he stared down Wash. "That's the Capn's mantra. We gotta complete the mission, then we can go get 'em."

"She'll be ok," Kaylee tried to calm the nervous pilot down. "She's with the Cap'n."

"There, ya see? Everybody wins." Jayne said, and as he attempted to move toward Wash he cried out in pain. "Gahh! Dammit Doc, I need a pop to quiet this pain some."

As Simon went to get the drugs, he decided to join the discussion.

"What about the authorities? We're sitting here with stolen Alliance goods. Won't they be looking for us?"

No one could deny the Doc had a point.

Wash had a plan, of sorts. "They buzz this canyon; we'll hear 'em before they ever see us."

"And then what?" Jayne asked. "We's stuck on the ground you ruttin' dumbass!

"Look, I figure we're good for…"

River was aware of little that was going on. Her mind caught snippets of the conversation, and she was of course aware of Jayne and his pain. She winced noticeably as Simon prepared the hypospray for Jayne, thinking it was yet another shot for her. Relieved as Simon moved away from her, the girl interrupted Wash with a thought of her own.

"Won't stop. They'll never stop. They'll just keep coming until they get back what you took." Everyone looked at River, worry on their faces.

Jayne had the feeling she weren't talkin' about no loot crates,

The girls lucid period appeared to be over as she chanted "Two by two, hands of blue, two by two..hands of blue…"

Something twigged in Jayne's mind. Two hands of blue? Why the gorram hell did that seem like a familiar notion to the big man?

River stopped chanting as she heard Jayne's mind make a subconscious connection with the Hands of Blue.

He shook his head, more important things ta think about right now.

"Now I'm in ruttin' charge here, and I'm tellin' ya how it works." he said as he looked at the assembled crew – as well as Inara and Shepherd Book. "Niska doesn't get the goods on time he will make meatpies a tha lot a us!"

Suddenly, the Shepherd chimed in.

"This Adelai Niska you're talking about?"

"Now how would a Shepherd know a name like that?'" Jayne asked, intrigued.

Book chose to ignore the question.

"As I've heard it, he made a deal with the Captain. If the Captain's not there to finish it..If Niska finds out he's being held and may speak as to who hired him…I think we're better off being a little late."

Jayne was thoughtful for a moment. Time for a big speech. Jayne wasn't much for speechafyin', but he couldn't do the job by hisself.

"Shepherd, ya make a decent point. But I'm gonna make two points my ownself. First, we ain't finishin' the deal with the_Joo bah jeh_ Niska - his top henchman Crow will be meetin' us. So no need ta go inta any details on the Capn's absence. Crow _ain't _gonna care none, he just wants the loot." Jayne looked at each person in turn as he continued.

"Second, whattya think will happen when we don't show up at the right place at the right time with the goods? Crow'll WAVE Niska tha second we's late, and Shepherd, ya _don't _wanna know what Niska will have planned for us then. I been on his station and met tha man, and ya _definitely_ don'twanna know what I seen. He's not only _feng le, _but an utterly _Ching soh __ta ma de hun dan."_

He let that thought sink in to the gathered crew.

Wash shook his head slowly. Intellectually, he knew Jayne was right. Emotionally, he wasn't going anywhere without Zoe. And as usual for the little pilot, emotion won. He squared his jaw as he looked at Jayne.

No one spoke as Jayne shook his head his ownself. Without Wash doin' the flyin', _Serenity _was goin' nowhere.

"How 'bout this then. Nara, now I know you ain't exactly crew, and Shepherd you ain't at all, but mayhaps you two can take Nara's shuttle and go scout out the town and see exactly what's up with the Cap'n and Zoe, while we's go finish the job?"

The two named looked at each other but no volunteerin' was forthcomin'.

"Okay," Jayne sighed. "We's gotta little time before we gotta be at the meet. We wait. _For a spell. _Then we make our appointment, _dong ma?"_

He didn't wait for any replies as he stormed outta the Infirmary. River, still calmed, watched him go and wondered why he was so red.

_**Serenity – **_**The Bridge – Nightfall**

Jayne had thought he was more than reasonable like. Niska was pure evil, the others ain't met the man so they have no idea what the _hun dun_ was capable of. They just gotta trust me, he thought as he went to tell Wash the time was up.

Explodin' onta the bridge with the Doc in tow, he found Wash slouchin' in his chair, a worried expression on his face, Lil Kaylee was there too, mirrorin' the little man's concern.

They weren't worried about Niska and his men though.

"That's it!" Jayne yelled as he entered the bridge. "We waited long enough. Get this bird in the air." he ordered.

"No rutting way!" Wash said as he rose from his chair.

"We can't leave the Captain and Zoe here." Kaylee pleaded.

"Now fire it up." Jayne was unrepentant.

The tension was broken somewhat by the arrival of the Companion.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Strap in, we're taking off." The big man told her.

Wash was firm. "We're not! Listen to me…" he started.

He didn't get to finish as he was cut off by an increasingly angry Merc, who had had more than enough of this _go se._

"Do you know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with till you understand who's in ruttin' command here! Now we're finishin' this deal and _then _we'll go get the Cap'n and Zoe. We gotta to the job! And we gotta do it on time! And you can't change that by getting' all... bendy…"

Jayne didn't know what was happenin'. All of a sudden he'd got light headed and couldn't see straight no more…the pilot looked outta focus and was bendin' back and forth.

Wash was confused. "All what?"

The big man started to sway on his feet.

"You got the light..from the console to keep you….to lift you up…they shine like little angels.." he murmured as he tried to catch the imaginary angels with his hands.

Suddenly, the huge man just keeled over and hit the deck of the bridge, face first.

"Did he just go crazy and fall asleep?" a still confused Wash asked.

Everyone on the bridge was equally confused, except for the Doctor who looked like the cat who got the canary.

Kaylee was the first to recover.

"You doped him!"

Still smirking, Simon came clean.

"It was supposed to kick in a good deal sooner. I just didn't feel comfortable with him in charge. I hope that's alright."

Jayne was forgotten on the floor as the remainder of the crew discussed the best way to rescue their two wayward crew members.

As it turned out, all it took to rescue them was a fast talking Registered Companion with excellent acting skills – and time. Time they didn't have.

**Cargo Bay- Two Hours Later**

Wash was very relieved as Inara, Mal, and Zoe stepped off her shuttle and entered the main bay, with the Captain heading for the stolen goods.

"Kept the engine running. We're good to go."

"We're not goin'." the Captain stated.

The pilot was confused yet again.

"Not what? Not why?"

"We're bringing the cargo back." his wife informed him.

"What are you talking about?" Wash asked her. "What about Niska. Won't that put him more or less in a killing mood?" Seems the pilot had listened to some, at least, of what Jayne had been saying earlier.

The crew discussed the best way to get the loot, which turned out to be badly needed medicine, back to the townfolk as fast as was possible.

"Far as Niska goes," Mal started, "we'll just have to explain the job went south on us when we return the money." Mal hit the button to lower the cargo bay ramp. He and Zoe continued to load the cargo onto the mule and Wash, once again, interrupted their progress as his face went pale.

"You wanna explain, now's your chance.." he said as Mal turned to follow his gaze.

At the bottom of the ramp, just outside the ship, stood Niska's Right Hand Henchman Crow, and three other very large, and very angry men.

The men advanced up the ramp and started to take up positions around the bay, ready for action. The crew of _Serenity _mirrored their movements.

Crow was the first to speak.

"You didn't make the rendezvous."

Mal was unperturbed, or so it seemed, as he strode forward to meet the enormous man.

"Ran into a few complications."

"You were thinking of taking Mister Niska's money, and his property maybe?" the Henchman asked accusingly, and he fingered his rather large, and rather strange, knife.

"Interestingly, neither." Mal smiled.

Now Crow was the one confused in this night of confusion.

"I don't understand." he said as he furrowed his brow.

"Yeah. Look, here's what it is: deal's off."

The Henchman was not amused by that statement, but said nothing in reply, his anger rising.

"We changed our minds." The browncoat Captain spelled it out for the now irate giant.

"You entered into an arrangement with Mister Niska. There is no mind changing."

"I'm afraid that's where ya wrong." Mal smirked. "We just, we can't take this job. So you just relax, and we'll get you the money. Niska paid us up front; you return it to him and call it even."

"There is no even." Crow said, voice lowered in a threatening manner.

Mal stared back, hard. "Is that right?" he said, as he slowly moved his hand for his gun.

He was too late.

Crow had heard enough. It was time to act in the best interests of Mister Niska. He drew back his arm and threw his very large, and very strange, knife at Mal, where it embedded itself in his right shoulder.

The Captain cried out in immense pain as pandemonium broke out.

Zoe was quick on the draw and immediately took out one Crow's three men, then grabbed Kaylee and dived behind a pile of crates to avoid the return fire.

Crow menacingly advanced on the Browncoat Captain, and in two steps was on him. He pulled his knife from Mals' shoulder and began to beat on him. Down to one arm, the Captain was in dire straits as Crownan the Barbarian continued to pummel him. Although Mal got the odd lick in, it was clear he was going to lose the fight, and probably his life.

His crew were in no shape to help him. Zoe was goin' hand to hand with one of tha men, and with Jayne not in the picture that left only Wash and Kaylee. Kaylee was cowerin' behind the crates still, and in any event was no fighter.

Neither was Wash, but he was a good pilot – and a good driver.

All turned towards him as he revved the mule, hard, driving over one of Crow's two remainin' men and takin' him outta the picture.

Mal used the distraction to launch an ineffectual assault on Crow, who struck back at Mal twice as hard. Mal now lay on the ground, disoriented, as Crow retrieved his knife from the cargo bay deck, and strode towards Mal with murder in his eyes.

It appeared all looked lost for the Captain, but a shot rang out and Crow collapsed to the floor, just as Zoe knocked out the remainin' man with the butt of her her Mare's Leg.

**The Infirmary – 5 Minuted Earlier**

River had been resting fitfully in her drugged state. She was due for another shot, but with Simon preoccupied with Jayne, and the others' escape, he hadn't quite got around to it.

The girl sat up and surveyed her surroundings. Alone, and with no one in sight, she used her mind to locate the other people on the ship. All, it seemed, where either in the main cargo bay or its environs.

All except Jayne, who appeared to be on the bridge, alone. Alone, and unconscious. Strange. Her mind automatically started the process of filtering out the thoughts of the others as she concentrated on Jayne. Intrigued, she stealthily made her way to the bridge.

What she found, confused her further. She found her _Ba__o hu zhe_ unconscious, lying face down on the deck. What is this? The girl had steadily regained strength, both mentally and physically in the minutes since she had awoken. Simon's drugs were thankfully a distant memory, and she rolled Jayne over. No easy task to move so much mass, but she did so as she touched her _ge ge's _mind for answers.

The answer she found shocked the girl. Her _ge ge _had done this. Why? Deliberately used his drugs, _again, _to render someone cataleptic. No, no NO!

River withdrew to her own mind, and concentrated on waking Jayne. She shook and cajoled the big man to wake. He started to come around, slowly. Very slowly.

Deeming his progress insufficient, the genius was unsure of how to quicken the process. A situation that suddenly became quite urgent as the thoughts of four very angry men assaulted her mind. They had searched for, and found _Serenity, _and they had murder on their minds.

Frantic, River was beginning to succumb to the growing panic she felt. What to do? WHAT TO DO? The slight girl had an epiphany. Now she knew exactly what she should do.

The genius bent over her _Ba__o hu zhe, _studying his face for a moment, before she kissed him, full on the lips.

His blue eyes flew wide open, staring past her own brown eyes and into her soul. It was simultaneously an unnerving and welcoming feeling. Strange, but analysis would have to wait.

"What the gorram hell is goin' on?" he said, groggily, as he tried to get to his feet, and thinkin' what a mighty fine sight he woke up ta.

"_Ba__o hu zhe _was rendered inert by the actions of _ge ge." _she told him.

Jayne was far from fully awake and alert, only a 'huh?" escapin' his mouth.

"Drugged, inappropriately. By Simon."

Rage built within Jayne, he was gonna kill that ruttin' pansy ass, core bred, _Ho tze duh pi gu, Ri shao gou shi bing!_

The psychic, of course, picked up that thought and went to quash it immediately.

"Not optimal." she said as she helped Jayne to his feet. "Simon will have to await his day in court; _Serenity's _honor has been tarnished."

The girl sure spoke like a genius, Jayne thought. He'd have trouble keepin' up at the best a times, and this weren't them. On seeing his blank look, River concentrated and tried again.

"Intruders."

That woke Jayne up from his remainin' stupor, some, but he still hadn't regained all a his motor functions.

"Where?"

River's mind was still not fully lucid, but she did the best she could.

"The champions of justice fight the demons from hell on the largest field of battle available."

Havin' no idea, exactly, what she was sayin', Jayne tried to puzzle it out, quick like. Largest field..largest area on the ship..cargo bay?

"Affirmative." the beautiful _jingling _suddenly said.

Jayne wasn't sure he said that out loud, but in his current state he couldn't a said one way or tha other.

"Make haste!' she cried.

"Ok, ok." he said as he stumbled towards the door. No good, can barely move, still. The girl leant into his side and encouraged him to put his arm around her, both feelin' a shock at the contact, but neither able to, or wantin' to, break the hold.

As the pair stepped slowly outta the bridge and headed for the cargo bay, all hell appeared to break loose. Shots were firing, there was yellin' and the sound of the mule havin' the crap revved outta it.

Making what speed they could, the scene that greeted the odd pair was desperate, especially for the Captain. Adrenaline poured through the big man, clearing his mind and allowing him to assess the tactical situation.

One unknown down, shot, another had been run over by the mule by the looks. Zoe fightin' one more, hand ta hand, and appearin' to be gainin' the advantage. Good. Captain, in big trouble. Bad. Well at least they was rescued then.

Well, well, well, Crownan The Barbarian. That explains what was goin' on – just what Jayne had said would happen had come to pass. Dumbasses. Lettin' go of the girl, he pushed her back, away from danger, and holdin' on ta the rail of the catwalk, Jayne prepared for action.

Crow reached down for some big ass knife, and stormed towards the Cap'n, ready ta take tha kill.

"Not on my watch." Jayne murmured, as he smoothly drew _Boo, _and shot Crow through the leg, the enormous man screamin' in pain as he fell to the deck of the cargo bay.

The Captain was greatly astonished to see his Merc, _no Head of Security, _leanin' on the catwalk rails, gun in hand. Inara had told Mal on the shuttle ride back how Simon had drugged the big man, and why. Mal weren't pleased, and he'd have to deal with it later, but for now...he got up and placed his boot on Crow's throat as he looked up at Jayne.

"Nice shot!"

"I was aimin' for his head." Jayne slurred, seems as though he shot weren't as smooth as he thought.

Mal smiled up at the big man and shook his head.

**Outside Serenity's Loading Ramp**

The Cap'n and Zoe had just come back in the Mule from takin' the stolen medicine back to its rightful owners. Jayne thought that was the right thing ta do. They's already humped with Niska, might as well be for a good reason.

He'd also just about fully recovered from the Doc's knock out drugs. Make no mistake, they'd be an accountin' for that later if Jayne had anythin' to say about it.

But right now there was business ta take care of.

The big Merc forced Crow to his knees in front of tha Captain; he'd try to make a deal with the giant.

Before the Cap'n could speak, Wash fired up _Serenity's _engines, and they began to whine as Mal spoke.

"Now this is all the money Niska gave us in advance." the Cap'n started as he waved the cashy money in Crow's face. "You give it back to him, tell him the job didn't work out.

Crow spat at the ground at Mal's feet, clearly unimpressed.

"We're not thieves…." He continued. "Well, we are theives, but…the point is, we're not takin' what's his. We'll stay out of his way as best we can from now on in. You'll explain that's best for everyone, ok?"

Crow rose off his knees, and at his full height he easily dwarfed the Captain.

"Keep the money." he sneered. Use it to buy a funeral. It doesn't matter where you go, how far you fly..I will hunt you down and the last thing you see will be my blade." He finished as he stared into the Mal's eyes with hatred in his own.

Mal had had enough of Niska and his henchman.

"Darn." was all he said.

Sighin', he summoned all his might as he kicked Crow backwards towards the now furiously spinnin' left engine of _Serenity. _The effect was instantaneous. No matter how enormous Niska's right hand henchman was, he was no match for the powerful suction effect of one the ship's turbines, and was sucked whole inta the engine and shattered like a bug.

There was still one remainin' Niska henchman, and he was brought before the Captain, who began his speech all over.

"Now this is all the money.."

He didn't get any further as the henchman interrupted the Browncoat, eager to make a deal, any deal, that wouldn't end with him also sucked inta the engine.

Mal smiled, stuffed the money inta tha man's pocket, and shoved him on his way.

It was a good feelin' bein' an actual good guy for once.

**Dinner – That Night**

The mood at dinner was one of contentment. They had returned the badly needed medicine, and escaped Niska's clutches. And they were back in The Black, always a good thing.

Mal was unhappy about some aspects of the day, and they mostly revolved around Jayne. They'd have to be some rightin' of wrongs, if the big man's absence from the dinner table was any guide.

_Serenity's _Captain could count on one hand the number of times Jayne had missed a meal, but he was nowhere to be seen. He'd track him down after dinner.

But for now, Mal basked in the warm glow of the people surroundin' the dinner table, especially that of their Registered Companion.

**Same Time – The Infirmary**

Truth be told, Jayne didn't feel much like eatin'. Although happy to get the medicine to where it was needed, he wasn't altogether happy with the ways things had panned out.

Only the girl had come to help him when the _go se _had hit the fan. She knew he was needed to tilt the balance of the fight in the cargo bay inta the favor of the crew of the old Firefly. And she was right.

He'd barely caught a glimpse of her after the fight, as usual the Doc had rushed her off to the Infirmary, fussin' on her like she was a child.

She may be his _mei mei_, but she weren't no child.

So hear he was, sneakin' inta the Infirmary at dinner time, knowin' they'd all be up in the kitchen eatin', to see how she was doin'.

He couldn't stay long. He hoped she was in a mood ta talk, they needed to clear one or two things up. Well, she weren't in a mood ta talk when he eventually summoned enough courage to sneak in. Due to the fact she was sleepin'. No, not sleepin'. She was doped up, same as he was earlier, and by the same person.

Tryin' to keep his anger in check lest he do somethin' to wake the girl, or worse bring that _hun dun _of a brother runnin', he took several deep breaths to calm hisself.

The Doc at his ruttin' drugs! Enough! Decision made, he gathered up every drug he could find in the Infirmary, and job done, he turned to leave, gently squeezing one of the little _jingling's _hands as he left.

He stopped by the _Feh feh pi goh's_ room to grab all the drugs he could find there too. No way was the _Go neong yung duh _gonna be able ta dope anyone he pleased no more.

**Two Hours later – The Bridge**

Jayne had been called up to Bridge for a meetin' with Mal and Zoe. Wash was also there, no surprise as that was his station.

What was a surprise is that he didn't look too happy.

"Well Jayne, " Mal started, "seems there was a bit of trouble on the ship while we was the guest of the Sherriff."

"There surely was." Jayne replied. "I tried to get the job done while you was missin', Wash here weren't havin' none of it though."

"Way Wash tells it, you tried to take over." Mal spoke slowly. He knew there was two sides, at least, to every story, and he wanted to know what Jayne's was. "So tell me Jayne, how would you put the day's events?"

Jayne recounted everything from the moment he was winched back aboard. Well, almost everythin', he made no mention of River at all.

Mal watched Jayne carefully as he spoke, lookin' for any sign of subterfuge on the big mans face. He was satisfied with what he saw, which meant there _was _more to the story than Wash let on.

Sparin' a glance at Zoe, she looked a mite uncomfortable, but only Mal would have been able ta pick it.

"Wash, I want a straight answer. Was there a plan ta finish the job, while Inara and The Shepherd came ta scope out the town for us?"

"Mal, kinda.." Wash was sheepish.

"So there was. And yet, the job weren't done while Inara came lookin' for us. Now Wash, you must be tha luckiest guy in the 'Verse. Ya obviously didn't know I had decided to give the goods back, and yet you refused a perfectly good plan to get the job done while Inara and Book came for us."

"It all ended well Mal, you _wanted _to give the goods back…"

"And you, Wash, didn't know about that."

Wash looked at Zoe for some back up.

"I'm talkin' to you as the pilot of this here boat, not as Zoe's husband."

Zoe stiffened slightly at that.

"Ya didn't know I was gonna give the stuff back, so ya shoulda assumed the job was goin' ahead. Ya shoulda done what was needed to do that. You were lucky, this time. But what happens next time Zoe gets pinched and the job needs to be done? Are you gonna refuse to do ya job? Even if it's your Captain doin' the tellin'?"

Mal's ire had risen, and by now he was powerful angry.

"That's your problem Wash. Ya think with ya heart and not ya head. And that's why you _ain't _in the chain of command."

Wash looked suitably admonished.

"It won't happen again Mal."

"I know it won't." Mal had a decision to make, and he did. "You _ain't _in the chain of command, as I said, but Jayne _is."_

Three shocked faces looked at Mal for an explanation.

"Ya think I took Jayne into Niska's Skyplex for shits and giggles? If Niska decided Zoe and me weren't good enough ta do business with, not even Jayne woulda been able to do anythin' about it if Niska wanted us dead. He was there as another point a contact 'tween us and Niska, case it was needed. And seemed it was. I'll say it again Wash, you was lucky it turned out tha way it did."

The explanation lessened the shock some, and Mal smiled at the trio. He was impressed with the way Jayne had carried hisself these last couple a months, and if was honest he could see that the change in the big man had been in progress for quite a while afore that.

"Jayne is Head of Security. Unless I say otherwise, it goes Me, Zoe, then Jayne."

"So Mal, do I get a pay rise?" Jayne smirked.

"In fact ya do, another half a percent."

Not really expectin' anythin', Jayne was pleased.

Zoe, however, was not. But she'd talk to the Captain in private about it later. The Amazon had seen signs that Jayne was someone who could, possibly, be trusted. And he was capable. But still…

"Thanks Cap'n."

"Yeah, well ya done good today, despite what happened."

Mal was about to continue when an irate Simon stormed onto the Bridge.

"Captain! Captain!" I need to talk to you urgently."

"Yes you do." Mal replied. He was _not _happy with Mr Top Three Percent. "Wash, auto pilot set?"

Wash nodded, but checked his console again quickly just to be sure.

"Good, Doc and I need a little chat. So Wash, and Zoe, enjoy your night." Mal said as he dismissed the pair, who gratefully turned to leave the Bridge.

Jayne, also, turned to leave, when Mal put his hand on the his Head of Security's shoulder.

"Jayne, stay, as this concerns you."

With the trio alone, Mal spoke softly addressing Simon.

"Well Doc, ya had a helluva day."

Confused, Simon could only nod back.

"I do wanna know though, why ya thought it necessary to dope up my Head a Security here?"

Jayne watched, impassively, while Simon squirmed.

"I, well, we all, weren't comfortable with Jayne being in charge."

"So let me get this straight." Mal asked. "You, our new Medic, our pilot, our mechanic, a person who rents a shuttle from me, and a _passenger, _all decided that Jayne's _perfectly reasonable _plan was uncomfortable, and it was decided to dope him?"

"No Captain, I made that decision." Simon was, truthful, at least.

Mal, however, was livid.

"Jayne's Head of Security. Let me spell it out. When me, or Zoe, ain't aboard he's in charge. Unless I say so otherwise aforehand. And what woulda happened if'n Crow or his men had turned up earlier? Who's gonna defend the ship with Jayne all doped up? You? Wash!? LIL KAYLEE!?"

Mal was just about screamin' by now.

"Ya ain't got no right ta be dopin' anyone up, without my express authority, _dong ma? _Ifit's me ya need to dope Zoe will allow it, then Jayne if needs only reason I ain't gonna throw you off this boat after what you did today is 'cause you was lucky how it all turned out."

Mal was sick of sayin' that by now, even if it was the truth.

"Ya ever do anythin' like this again. I'm liable to kick ya off the ship no matter where we are, even in The Black!" Mal sneered.

'Yes Captain, I'm sorry. In any event it seems I won't be able to. You see, that's what I want to talk to you about. My drugs, all of them, are gone."

That took the wind outta Mal's sails somewhat, and one look at his newly confirmed second mate and Mal knew exactly what had happened.

"Them drugs been deemed a security threat Doc." Jayne smirked, happy to not have to keep it from the Cap'n, and happier to rub it into the face of the little pansy ass doctor.

"But Captain, you can't let him do this! My sister, she needs those drugs!"

The Captain, hisself, was past caring about that, right now.

"We'll talk about that more tomorrow, Doctor, I ain't gettin' inta this with ya tonight. Goodnight Doc." Mal dismissed the man.

"But Captain…"

"Goodnight, Doctor!"

Simon did not move for a couple of seconds, and Jayne took it upon hisself ta throw the Doc off the bridge.

Mal did not complain. He did, however, want to talk ta Jayne alone.

"Jayne, I meant it. Ya did good today, your plan was sound. Ya weren't ta know what we found. I wanna have ya put your input inta the plans me and Zoe come up with from now on. Not ta say we'll use your ideas, but I wanna hear 'em anyways."

"Thanks Mal, ah Cap'n, and sure." Jayne smiled, a genuine smile for once.

The Captain was taken slightly aback at the sight.

'Now ma shoulder is startin to powerful ache, let's say ya tell me where the drugs are so I can get myself a smoother?"

"Actually Cap'n...I left them in your bunk."

"Ya been down to my bunk? Ya know I don't like no one down there." Mal was mad again.

"Didn't wanna hide 'em from ya Cap'n."

"Whatever, least I won't have to go far. We'll talk more tomorrow Jayne."

"Cap'n, I wanna talk to ya about somethin'." He couldn't say anythin' in front a tha others, but he wanted to tell Mal how River helped him today. He figured he owed the Cap'n that.

"Unless it's gonna effect my boat in the next eight hours, I ain't interested right now." Pain was achin' somethin' fierce and he wanted to rest some. "Well, is it?"

The big man shook his head. Mal nodded and headed in the direction of his bunk, while Jayne went to the kitchen to see what he could scrounge up.

**Jayne's Bunk – 3 AM**

Jayne was dreamin'. Or was it a nightmare? He weren't sure, that'd depend on the outcome. In a darkish room, which looked like a barracks of some kind, his younger self, it seemed, was bein' hunted by two _hun dun's. _

One of the hunter's was dispatched with a thrown knife. Good. Tha other came at him, anger in his eyes and murder in his mind. The fight was brutal, but short. Younger Jayne was victorious. A good dream then. Checkin' the two men, Jayne was shocked. They was wearin' blue gloves. They was two by two, with hands a blue.

Bolting upright, Jayne was instantly awake. Two by two, hands a blue? That's what River was sayin' earlier.

He shook his head. It were just a dream. It didn't seem like a dream though. More like a memory. He could remember, clearly, every detail, even the smell. Since when do I remember dream _smells? _Jayne had a very good sense a smell – it was one of the reasons he was such a good tracker – but he ain't never remembered the smell of a dream before. Dream? Or Memory?

But he ain't never fought blue handed men afore? His was sure, but he weren't sure no more. It just seemed too _real._

Knowin' he wasn't gonna get no more sleep, he decided to take _Boo _and _Ingrid _up to the kitchen for a good cleanin'. Might as well sharpen _Binky _some too.

It didn't take long to gather what he needed, so in only a few minutes he stormed, as quietly as he could, inta the kitchen.

Only to see the sight of the little _jingling, _sitting in the middle of tha table, sobbin quietly. How she'd got out of her room, past that idiot brother a hers without wakin' him while she was cryin', was anyone's guess.

She looked up at him, with tears in her eyes, and quietly said "Two by two, hands of blue...two by two..."

A course Jayne had just been dreamin' about 'em, so it was a bit creepafyin'. On tha other hand, she _was _talkin' about 'em yesterday. More images of the dead blue hands sprung inta Jayne's mind, clear like.

River immediately stopped cryin' and started smilin'. That was strange. He was gettin' that creepafyin' feelin' again, then she said "Blue Hands – _Dai kai sa jeh."_

That shoulda creeped him out more, but for some reason it didn't. He nodded in the affirmative. It seemed like the right answer to him.

And then the creepy feelin' returned. She knew what I was thinkin'. That's explains a lot a things, if true.

It was River's turn to nod, sadly. She had hoped Jayne would understand her ability.

_True! _It were true, she was a reader. He was all sorts a creepafied, then he looked at her, saw her pain, and then he weren't no more.

So she was a reader. So what? I don't like talkin' none anyway!

River beamed him a beautiful smile, and _that _made him feel all sorts a good, and _that _made him all sorts a grumpy.

"So whatchya doin' here girl?" he growled, despite the fact he'd been wantin' to talk to her all day.

"Couldn't sleep. Have slept enough." she said as she got off the table, leant up and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you."

"What fer?" This time?

"You have banished the evil from the clutches of _ge ge."_

That he understood.

"Drugs, yep, took 'em. gave 'em to the Cap'n. Cap'n decides now who gets doped, not the _hun.._your brother."

"He was uable to continue his regimen further last night, the drugs have mainly left my system. As I say, thank you my _Ba__o hu zhe." _she said as she touched his hand.

There was that feelin' again, and Jayne almost dropped his cleanin' stuff.

"Ain't your protector, I protect the boat, the crew.." she smiled again and it stopped his speech. He was lyin' and she knew it. _Go se._

"Anyways, why don't ya go back to ya room so I can clean my girls here?"

Girls? River thought. Oh, weaponry. Affectionately named. How quaint.

"No thank you, I shall like to stay and watch you perform maintenance on your weaponry."

"Whatever." he said, but he was pleased. Not secretly pleased, as the gorram girl prolly knew that he was. Another smile showed she did.

"Fine." he grumped. "And as we're in the thankin' mood, I should prolly thank ya too. For rousin' me when Crow and them was here. Cap'n was about to get his head lopped off, looked like. We arrived in tha nick a time!

The girl looked at him expectantly.

Jayne shook her off and set hisself up at the table, ready to start. She sat opposite him and started to shiver. Sighin', he grabbed a blanket from the common room and placed it around her shoulders. Turnin' inta a gorram baby sitter. Sittin' back down he looked at the girl, again lookin' at him. And their eyes met. Jayne forgot what he was supposed to be doin' as he was lost in the beautiful pools of brown. Damned if he didn't like tha thought of lookin' after the girl though.

She smiled, once again, at him. Shakin' his head, he looked away.

"Stop that. Stay outta my head. Man oughta be allowed ta have his own thoughts."

"Your thoughts are loud, _Ba__o hu zhe. _I am not reading them from your mind so much as listening to what you broadcast. With so few minds on this ship I can easily block the thoughts of the others. But I find I do not wish to do so with you."

"Yeah, well, please? Or somethin'? Man needs his privacy." He was usually bugged by fancy core speech, but comin' from her just sounded like beautiful music. It was distractin', but in a good way.

"I will try, but you do not quite understand. I am hearing what _you _are broadcasting _to me. _Harder to block, but I will try."

Jayne was puzzled. Why would he be sendin' her thoughts. He shook his head again, seemed to be a default action as far as dealin' with his _jingling, _ah the girl, was concerned.

They sat in silence for a while, River watching Jayne cleaning his girls, whose parts were spread out on the table in front of them. It was a nice kind a silence.

Unable to help herself, River suddenly picked up the pieces of _Ingrid _and in a matter of seconds the Walther PPK was reassembled completely, River testing the action once the assembly was complete.

Jayne moved from puzzled to absolutely stunned. How the gorram hell would this little slip of a girl know how to do that? Still stunned, he watched in silence as the girl disassembled _Ingrid, _leavin' the small gun in the condition it was in not one minute before.

"I am sorry. I meant no harm." River smiled at him and was instantly forgiven.

"Well, no one touches my girls." he said automatically, and after a few moments thought, he looked at her attentively. "Do it again." he commanded, completely makin' a lie out of his original statement.

And she did. And again. And then with _Boo _too.

The big man watched her, wonderin' if she was just pullin' the details from his mind. She didn't say anythin', if she heard the thought, but Jayne didn't think she was. She _knew _what she was doin' She had done it before, he could clearly see the muscle memory involved.

"How?" he finally asked.

River hesitated. She would need to speak of the Academy. Of what took place. Would her _Ba__o hu zhe _continue to look on her favourably once he knew what had been done - what she had done? That he would believe her was not in doubt. Deciding, River took a deep breath as she took his large hands into her tiny ones and tried to explain.

Telling him of the procedures she endured, the drugs that had been forced upon her, the training she had completed, the lives she had taken, and all at the bequest of the Hands of Blue or their minions.

Jayne felt a whole new level a stunned as she delivered her tale. And he believed it, couldn't not. And he was powerful angry by tha end.

"Them Blue Hands. These just men, right? They can be killed." Jayne knew down to his core that they could. He _knew _it, because he had done it. Further images of that now clear memory flooded his brain. He was 100% certain they was true, but the event didn't fit his other recollections, mostly. Well, that weren't a new thing, either.

Now it was River's turn to be stunned. She had seen in Jayne's mind clear images of the Blue Hands. Their _actual _correct look. Not a vague reconstruction of generic men with blue hands, but the _actual _Two by Two, Hands of Blue. And they were broken. Dead, considerably dead.

In her increasing madness she had locked similar images away in the dark recess of her mind as she created her _Ba__o hu zhe._ But these were from his mind, not hers. The images she had hidden away long ago were true. _Ba__o hu zhe_ had defeated previous incarnations of the Blue Hands, previous _clones._

Her _Ba__o hu zhe_ had listened to her story and had believed. He had not judged her actions harshly, the death of many at her hands. He _understood._ River felt truly safe, and accepted, for the first time in as long as she could remember, and she knew right then they she never could, never _would, _leave this man's side.

Jayne thoughts weren't quite as forceful, but close, and as he fought to keep them to hisself he vowed ta protect his beautiful _jingling, _er the girl, as long as he could, to that best a his abilities.

A/N Next, _Bushwacked _re-imagined.

Chinese:

_Jingling - Pixie_

_Wang bao dahn – _Dirty bastard SOB

_Ung jeong jia ching jien soh – _Filthy fornicators of livestock

_Joo bah jeh_ – Perverted person

_Feng le - _Crazy

_Ching soh __ta ma de hun dan – _Ruthless ruttin' SOB

_Hun dun - _Bastard

_Ba__o hu zhe - _Protector

_Ho tze duh pi gu – _Monkey's butt

_Ri shao gou shi bing! – _Pile of sun baked dog crap

_Go se - _Crap

_Feh feh pi goh's – _Baboon's ass crack's

_Go neong yung duh – _More vicious version of SOB

_Dong ma? – _Understand?

_Dai kai sa jeh – _Terminated with extreme prejudice


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 9 – Bushwacked**

**A/N **Yes, yes, a large Chapter, usual disclaimers apply.

**August 2517 – The Black**

The crew were in good spirits, and Jayne reflected on the past few weeks as he set up the cargo bay for game a hoop ball.

It had been almost six weeks since _Serenity's _crew had dealt with Adelai Niska's right hand man Crow and his men. A couple a jobs had been and gone, no great pay days but no big surprises and no injuries, and there's always somethin' to be said for that.

The _jingling _had her good days and her less good, but Jayne didn't mind none, and he smiled up at her on the catwalk as she was watchin' him set up, her gorram brother hoverin' nearby.

The Doc was not happy with what had transpired earlier, but 'cause a his actions that day Crow and his men had boarded the ship, he had almost no pull with the Cap'n. Jayne smiled again to hisself as he remembered.

**Six Weeks Earlier – Day After The Train Job**

He'd spent a fair time with River last night, finally carrying the girl, quite like, back to her room, afore that brother a hers discovered she was gone. It had taken a lot outta her to tell her tale, Jayne thought, and her tale was one a many surprises over the last few hours.

The girl was a reader. Jayne had hovered between not carin' 'bout that and bein' creepafied by it, but in the end he couldn't do nothin' about it, so he just accepted it.

River was mighty happy 'bout that, and that, he decided, was always a good thing.

Now what he found most interestin' though was her knowledge a weapons. She'd been able to strip and reassemble all a his more mainstream guns, including _Lux, _but not _Vera _or some of his more obscure weapons.

That needed a lot more investigatin', could prove all kinds a useful if what he thought was true was. Alliance brass wanted the little genius reader bad, and the whole thing screamed black ops ta Jayne.

He'd tried to rest in his bunk for a couple a hours before decide it was useless, so he took a quick shower before he headed ta tha kitchen ta make some coffee.

Coffee was already on, courtesy a the Cap'n. Mal weren't usually first up, Lil Kaylee or Wash usually was up first, checkin' the engine or the bridge before they headed fer breakfast.

"Mornin' Cap'n" Jayne nodded as he entered.

Mal also weren't usually genteel until he finished off at least one cup, which he musta as he nodded back and gave his good mornin' in return.

"How's the shoulder Mal?' Jayne asked. He weren't usually one fer small talk, but he found he actually wanted ta know tha answer.

"Hurts like a summbitch, I'll get myself another smoother in an hour or so. Mighty handy havin' the ships stash a drugs in my own bunk." he smirked at Jayne.

Jayne chuckled at that.

"Tha little Doc sure was powerful angry. Was worth it just for that."

"Yep. Can't say we don't need a good Medic, and the Doc seems ta know his stuff, but he was _well _outta line yesterday. Conjure he does somethin' as stupid as that again and he's gotta go. Hard on him, and his sister I'll own, but we gotta look after our own first. And he ain't proven that he wants ta be part a our motley crew yet."

Jayne frowned with the mention of kickin' Simon and River off tha ship, and that was the openin' he was tryin' to find ta talk on tha girl.

'Cap'n, that's somethin' I wanna talk on. The Doc's sister that is."

Intrigued, Mal leant forward and put his coffee cup down.

"Why's that?"

"Well I didn't wanna say nothin' in front a the others, especially the Doc, but she was a mighty big help yesterday."

Confused, Mal furrowed his brows his ownself.

"Whatchya mean?"

"Mal, I was out fer tha count. That little _hun dun _Doc had seen ta that. The rest a ya was in trouble, and me off in fairy land was not gonna help none. The girl knew we was in trouble, knew what had ta be done to even up the odds some, so she snuck outta the Infirmary as ya was havin' ya showdown with Crownan Tha Barbarian and helped me come to. "

Mal was all sorts a interested in how that had come about, if it were true.

"Ya serious Jayne? Ya tryin' to pull my leg first thing in tha mornin'. Ya know I ain't a mornin' person."

"Yeah Mal, I am serious. That ain't all. I was still a bit loopy from tha drugs and all, couldn't move proper like. The girl helped me ta my feet, pushed and steered me ta the action. The only reason Crow didn't chop ya head off with that weird ass knife a his was 'cause I shot him."

"Yeah, that's kinda obvious." The Cap'n thought he knew where Jayne was headin.

"Yeah, well, Mal, tha only reason I was there ta shoot that _Go tsao de _Crow was 'cause a tha girl. Couldn'ta made it otherwise. Woulda still prolly be unconscious like…."

"And I woulda had no head." Mal's face paled. Seems he owed tha girl one. Maybe she weren't as whimsical in the brainpain as he thought. And he said as much ta Jayne.

Jayne debated if he should tell the Cap'n any more than he had. Mayhaps just a little.

"I had a talk with tha girl on that last night."

"Exactly when were ya able ta do that, Jayne?"

"Couldn't sleep, dugs had messed my sleep cycle up some, came up here ta get some water and she was here. Couldn't sleep neither. Same reason." Jayne half lied.

"Go on." Mal knew there was more.

"Doc's drug's knock her about somethin' fierce, she says she don't need 'em. Says she tells her brother that and he don't listen none. Says he knows best."

"Ya believe that?"

"I do. Ya seen the girl, lookin' zombafied most times. That ain't the girl that came ta help. Says Doc missed given her a shot due to tha drama, so her head was clear enough ta help."

Mal would ask her his ownself. He had all the drugs, includin' those the Doc brought aboard, locked away in his bunk. If he agreed she didn't need 'em, then she wasn't gettin' 'em. He owed her that, at least.

**Present – Cargo Bay**

The big man smiled as he remembered how that went down. Cap'n had spoke ta tha girl, she was very quiet but had confirmed what needed confirmin'.

Later, tha Doc had argued fiercely, the Cap'n had told 'im ta shove it, and that was that. Easy, as it turned out.

Doc had warned as Jayne threw him outta tha room that he couldn't guarantee no "psychotic episodes" from his sister, which Jayne had learned meant a bout of bein' _feng le. _ He said he couldn't watch her all tha time.

Jayne had found hisself volunteerin' to watch her some, there was lots a time in Tha Black with little ta do, and he wanted ta explore her capabilities anyways. Be nice if'n it didn't have ta be 3AM every time.

The Head of Security and The Cap'n had discussed that some, Jayne feelin' that if she was ta stay on board she had ta have a job, "Doc's Sister" not bein' a valid job description. She was supposed ta be a genius after all. Mal agreed, and told Jayne ta find out what practical skills she might have to help out. Bein' a genius was mighty fine, the Cap'n added, but mayhaps not so useful on an old mid bulk.

"Find out is she can cook or somethin'. Be nice to have a proper cook." The Cap'n muttered as he left tha room. Stickin' his head back in and smilin' he added. "Oh, and if ya break her, ya bought her. _Dong ma?"_

He smiled again, thinkin' of how she couldn't cook, but was willin' ta try. That wasn't what Jayne wanted her ta do, but the Cap'n prolly wouldn't go fer "Extra Gun Hand", even if that was what she'd be when the situation needed. Her skills were good in that area, and gettin' better. They'd cross that bridge when they come ta it.

No one knew she was a reader. She worked hard on that, some days she was just overwhelmed though.

Jayne weren't no chef, but he could cook. Everyone who'd been out on their own for as long as he was could. So he taught her what he knew, she was a quick study a course. So they had a cook, Jayne helpin' when she asked or on her not so good days. Tha Crew was happy they didn't have ta have cookin' duty, and even the Doc was pleased, some. Spoiled it by sayin' it weren't no job fer a genius though. Dumbass.

The deal was she would cook, crew would clean up. Girl was a brat at times, she always used every pot and pan she could when the Doc was down for cleanin' up duty. Kaylee helped him with that, which irked Jayne some.

River had come outta her shell a mite. At first, she would barely say a word ta anyone, except Jayne, and her gorram brother a course. Crew in return was wary a her, especially on her not so good days. Still, she'd now spend some time with Kaylee in the engine room and Wash on the Bridge, learnin' what she could. Which was a lot. Only Jayne knew how much she'd picked up when she told him what she'd been doin'. He didn't understand half a it.

She wouldn't have anything ta do with The Shepherd, though. Said he's hair scared her. Jayne had seen it down once and was shocked his ownself! Book had turned out ta be a pretty solid guy, after all, and spent some time liftin' weights with Jayne. There was more to the Shepherd than he was lettin' on, Jayne would find out what if he could.

So all in all she was progressin' nicely. Could cook, fix and fly the ship some. She'd started eatin' better when she started cookin' and had filled out a little. Jayne couldn't help but notice when they lifted weights together. She couldn't lift much, but she was determined.

Another thing she had started ta do was dance. Only a little, and never when other folk was around, but seemed she had a talent for that as well. He'd never admit it, not even really ta his ownself, but he liked watchin' her move around, all graceful like.

Jayne had convinced the Captain that everyone on the Crew needed ta know how ta shoot. Mal was fine with everyone but River knowin' how. That didn't stop Jayne, trouble was live fire practice could only be done when they was on world, so she didn't really get a chance ta put many rounds down range. Weren't fair but Mal's mind was made.

Still, he'd continue to do whatever he could to make River as self sufficient as possible. One day he might not be around. Head of Security was dangerous work.

One thing that wasn't progressin' was any kind of romantical relationship between Jayne and River. The Doc had seen ta that. Not that Jayne was gonna listen ta anythin' the Doc said, usually, but he blurted out that the girl weren't 20. She were only 17 or so. So Jayne had put the kybosh any anythin' that mighta happened. Weren't right, too young.

But he'd seen plenty a young women on Tha Rim same age as River with men his own age, when ya found that someone age didn't matter none. But she wasn't Rim, she was Core. And mebbe that was just an excuse. The Alliance had made sure that River had seen far more of the dark side of the 'Verse than most people twice her age, after all.

And she'd find any reason ta touch on 'im, a squeeze of tha hand or a quick hug. Or a long one. Couldn't pry her off sometimes on her bad days. And when he'd help her with the cookin', sometimes they'd work the fixin's together in the larger bowls. That was, distractin'. And the look on her face showed Jayne she knew exactly what she was doin'. Gorram girl.

**The Catwalk – Same Time**

River heard some, but not all, of Jayne's internal ramblings. She had tried to keep her promise and not read him, but some of his thoughts, mainly in relation to her, were so loud she couldn't help it.

Smiling to herself as she watched him set up for hoopball, she knew he was in a losing battle. There would be trials and tribulations on the way, but they were already bonded. _Ba__o hu zhe _just hadn't admitted that to himself yet. In good time.

_Ba__o hu zhe _had wished to know her talents in relation to weaponry. Fine. But she had found her cooking lessons to be far more enjoyable. It was, of course, a relatively easy discipline to master, being just a form of chemistry, really. The best part was mixing the ingredients in large bowls with Jayne. Such large, manly, hands. Not at all like those of _ge ge. _

As the game got into gear, River was fascinated. Games such as these were too low brow for a Tam, or so she had always been told. And the Academy's physical training regime bore little resemble to the chaos unfolding beneath her.

Chaos, perhaps, but enjoyable. Troubles were forgotten as the Crew of the Firefly enjoyed high spirits. River found it to be infectious, and the sight of Jayne in sleeveless T-shirt, muscles bulging, was exciting. To put it mildly. There were…tingles….in her stomach, and lower, that soared in intensity when Jayne would spare her a glance, or a quick wink or smile.

Always with his back to the Crew, and only after Simon had moved away to talk with the Registered Companion, she noticed.

Another hurdle to jump, for Jayne, would be the Crew and their reaction to any bonding between the pair. _Ba__o hu zhe _worried a great deal on this subject. Curiously, he cared little for what _ge ge _thought, however.

She had felt a twinge of something else, when Jayne lifted Kaylee onto his shoulders. Jealousy, ownership? Whatever it was, it was not logical and she did not enjoy the feeling, at all. The girl had to remind herself that feelings were definitely not logical.

River sighed. This was hard, her mind was still fragile, and new feelings were a complication she didn't really need. Dropping those thoughts, she concentrated on watching Jayne, and was rewarded with a quick smile from the big man.

He liked to show off his physical prowess, and he especially enjoyed it when River watched him excel at same. She had caught the thought, he liked his _jingling's _beautiful smile when he looked up at her, like an angel on high. The endearment was charming, she liked it immensely, and she found she could not stop smiling.

Suddenly the hoopball game, and River's smiling, was interrupted by a piercing klaxon.

Zoe was first to react.

"Proximity alert. Must be comin' up on somethin'."

Her husband reacted predictably, with a joke.

"Oh gawd! What could it be? We're DOOMED! Who's flyin' this thing!?"

The jovial mood continued as they all smiled at the humor.

"Oh. Right. That'd be me." Wash deadpanned. "Back to work!"

With that, Wash set off for the Bridge to check on the alert.

The rest of the Crew were debating whether to continue the game when suddenly, _Serenity _lurched. Perhaps this was more than routine was the common thought as they all raced to the Bridge.

Mal, as Captain, was first in.

"Wash, you have a stroke or somethin'?"

"Near enough."

"What happened?" Zoe asked her husband.

They all followed Wash's gaze and peered inta The Black, to be greeted with the sight of a transport ship, similar in size to the old Firefly. It appeared to be derelict and was tumblin' through space.

"Anyone home?" The Cap'n asked.

"Been hailing her." Wash replied.

The rest of Wash's reply was lost on Jayne as he spied River just outside the hatch ta the Bridge.

His little _jingling _looked ashen, and was tremblin' somethin' fierce. Striding over to her, he swept back a strand of hair, and tryin' to calm her he asked, "What is it?"

"It's ghosts." she replied, and smiled briefly.

Jayne, not likin' that at all, pulled her in for a quick hug while the rest of the Crew decided ta investigate tha derelict.

**Cargo Bay**

It had been decided that the Cap'n and Zoe would go over first and investigate. No one knew if they'd be any atmo over there or not, so Jayne was helpin' them prep their suits, just in case.

Simon entered with his bag.

"Where ya think you're headed'?" Jayne intercepted the _hun dun._

"I'd thought I'd offer my services, just in case anyone on board required medical attention."

Jayne was not impressed.

"Yeah, well, Cap'n and Zoe are goin' in first. We'll holler if we need ya."

Jayne cocked Zoe's Mare's Leg as he headed away from Simon, who hadn't noticed he'd just been dismissed. He was too busy staring at the space suits.

The big man filed that away for future use. Seems our Doc don't like EVA none.

Fully prepped, Mal and Zoe entered the airlock and began their trek into the belly of the unknown ship. They'd use radios to keep in contact with Wash as they searched the derelict.

**Rivers Room – Same Time**

River was going mad again. Something, someone, had invaded her mind and was battering at the walls she had carefully constructed over the last few weeks. It was so loud she could not even keep a simple connection with _Ba__o hu zhe._

The frantic girl needed Jayne, now. Footsteps approached, and her face fell as _ge ge, _not _Ba__o hu zhe, _entered.

"Shh. It's ok. I'm here. Bad dreams again? I'll ask the Captain for some medicine for you when he gets back. I'm sure he'll agree."

That stopped River's trembling in her tracks. Poor Simon's answer for everything, drugs. No way!

"No, no drugs! I can't sleep because there's too much screaming."

Simon looked at her with sadness on his face.

"River, there is no screaming."

Immediately composed, River looked her brother in the eyes and stated. "There was."

Jayne had wanted to check on River once the Cap'n and First Mate were suited up and ready to go. He had airlock duty though, and couldn't. But with the Cap's request for him ta come over, he'd take the opportunity to check on the _jingling _while he told tha Doc to get over to the derelict as well.

Walkin' into the passenger dorms he heard River's distressed state. Stormin' into her room he saw the Doc tryin' to do..somethin', and failin'. Dumbass.

"Hey!" he said as he stared down the core bred Doctor, who didn't notice the smile that had formed on the face of his now calm sister.

"Grab your medkit and let's hoof it. Mal wants us both over there on the double."

"They've found survivors?" the dumbass asked.

"Didn't say." Jayne shrugged in return.

"Right. I'll ask Inara to look in on River."

Holding _Boo, _Jayne was in no mood ta wait.

"Now! Doctor." he ordered as he cocked _Boo, _addin' incentive for tha Doc ta do as he was told.

Simon looked between River and _Boo, _and decided that arguing with the ape man gone wrong was a waste of time. He'd see Inara on the way and…

His thoughts were interrupted as Jayne grabbed him and pushed him towards the cargo bay, away from Inara's shuttle.

"Wrong way Doc. Don't need no detour. Get movin', get your suit on, now! Or we's gonna chat some more." Jayne threatened as he waved _Boo _in the Doc's face.

Not willing, or able, to push the matter further, Simon acquiesced and headed directly for the cargo bay.

Jayne watched him go, before turnin' and headin' back ta River. He didn't have much time, one way or tha other, so he'd have to be quick like.

Tha girl was waitin' by the door as he stepped back inta the passenger dorms area. He gently pushed her back inta her room, and once outta sight from the hallway wrapped his big arms around her small frame. He was worried that she was goin' _feng le _again. She'd had some less than perfect days over the last few weeks, but this behaviour was right back ta when she come aboard.

He held her tightly and she leaned in at him. He'd take the risk on someone walkin' in on them. It was worth it to help calm the girl some.

"C'mon girl. Ain't nothin' ta be afraid of. What kinda protector ya think I am? Let some old derelict scare ya? Ya safe, baby girl." It came out without warnin', and Jayne didn't even notice.

River did, and smiled into Jayne's massive chest. Another endearment! Her heart leapt as she basked in the warmth of his embrace, all thoughts of the derelict temporarily forgotten.

"Look. I gotta go. Mal's expectin' me soonest. Ya be ok?"

River nodded, not sure how she'd be once the walls that were formed by her _Ba__o hu zhe's _arms fell. But she would try.

Jayne kissed the top of her head as they broke apart, and then he started off for the derelict transport, just passin' Inara in the hallway.

**The Derelict**

The Cap'n, Zoe, Jayne and Lil Kaylee were now onboard the derelict, havin' a robust discussion on where ta go from here, only to see a space suited figure walk around the corner – Simon.

Simon was shocked. He managed to suit up all by himself, a laborious process, not helped by his fear of hard vacuum. He'd surmounted that fear and made it aboard the derelict to find the others…sans spacesuits.

"What are you doin' here?" asked the Cap'n. "And what's with the suit?"

Jayne couldn't help it, he burst out laughin'. He'd got the Doc a good'un.

Simon had to get Kaylee's help to get his helmet off. The whole ordeal had been humiliating.

"Oh, you're hilarious. Sadist." Simon said as he glared at Jayne.

The Cap'n couldn't help but smile his ownself. He personal dislike for the Doc was still in evidence, but they had a job to do.

"Alright, that's enough." he said. "We ain't got time for games. Long as you're here Doc, ya might as well lend a hand. You can run with Kaylee." Mal ordered as he tossed a loot bag at Simon.

"Let's do this quick, people. Coupla loads each. No need to be greedy. "

The Crew headed for their assigned areas. Jayne was to secure the galley, and he roared loudly with laughter as he heard Kaylee tell the Doc that he had his helmet on wrong. Wouldn'ta done him any good in Tha Black!

_**Serenity – **_**Airlock**

River had tried to remain calm, but had failed. She needed to get to her _Ba__o hu zhe. _The psychic felt he was in danger onboard the derelict, and had to warn him. She would protect him as he protected her.

Slowly she made her way onto the derelict, unsure of what she would find but determined to complete her self-assigned mission.

**Derelict – Galley**

Jayne was in a hurry. River's warnin' of "ghosts" was creepafyin' enough. What was even more creepafyin' was that he believed her without question.

Packin' anythin' that was of any use inta the satchel he carried, he was engrossed in his task when tha radio crackled inta life. It were the Cap'n.

"Jayne. Jayne! Drop what ya doin' and get to tha engine room. I wanta ya to take Kaylee and The Doctor off this boat. Don't ask questions, _dong ma?_"

Reachin' for the radio, Jayne never made it as the lights dimmed and he was suddenly attacked from behind by…somethin'.

"Jayne? Jayne! Do you read? Jayne?!"

The Cap'n was frantic.

Taken by complete surprise, Jayne was nevertheless able to draw _Boo _and get a coupla' shots off. He knew he weren't liable ta hit his opponent, he was hopin' to scare him off some.

His attacker had other ideas, bringin' a large pan down on Jayne's head as the big man fired. _Boo _fell to the floor and slid towards the entrance ta the galley.

The unknown assailant was about to renew his attack on the big man when a shot rang out and he fell ta the floor.

Lookin' up, Jayne saw a sight as he was never liable ta forget. There was tha little _jingling, _a look of determination on her face, with her hands bein' dominated by his LeMat. She had saved him. It was her turn ta be tha _Ba__o hu zhe._

It was one of tha most beautiful things he'd ever seen, and he told her so.

The smile he got in return was worth the hit ta tha head.

Quickly getting' off the floor, he retrieved his gun from the still smilin' girl, who he rewarded with a fierce hug and a kiss ta tha top of her head.

She squeaked at the touch and then settled inta him, and they held each other for a few seconds. Jayne recovered quick like, and broke the embrace. There was work still ta be done.

Jayne was about ta look fer tha light switch when the Cap'n and the Zoe stormed in, guns raised, followed by the Doc and Lil Kaylee.

Mal was about ta ask what tha gorram hell was goin' on when the Doc piped up.

"River? What are you.."

"I followed the voices." she interrupted.

"Don't ever leave the ship. Not ever!"

The girl rolled her eyes so only Jayne could see and allowed herself to be taken in hand by her brother.

Mal seemed to only notice River at that time as he was so intent on getting' an explanation outta Jayne.

"Handle her, will ya son?" he ordered Simon.

Turnin' ta Jayne he wanted answers.

"What'd ya see?"

"I didn't." Jayne replied. "Came at me from behind. Think I mighta hit 'im." No way was he gonna mention River's involvement.

The Doctor piped in again.

"You did." he said as he pointed to a collection of tell tale blood droplets leadin' to a wall grate.

Takin' Zoe's Mares' leg, Mal pushed open the wall grate to be confronted by tha face of a young man, cowerin' in tha shadows, lookin' feral.

"Mercy..mercy..no mercy." he muttered as he stared blankly at the Captain.

"Easy now. We ain't gonna hurt ya." Mal said, then noticin' the gun shot wound ta the young mans arm. "Well, no more than we already did."

"No mercy." The man repeated.

"Oh, we got mercy." Mal whispered. "We got lots and lots of mercy."

Mercy came in the form of the butt of Zoe's Mare's Leg, which the Browncoat used to knock the apparent survivor out, cold.

Whilst everyone was focused on tha survivor, Jayne took the opportunity ta give River a quick wink, thankin' her in his thoughts, and had ta stop hisself from laughin' out loud as she gave him one in return. He settled for shakin' his head. Gorram girl!

**Derelict– Some Time Later**

The little bit of revelry the two had shared on tha derelict had been the last bit of light heartedness that Jayne had had that night, and he clung ta it with all a his might.

Turned out the cause of tha ship becomin' a derelict was no accident. Nope, no accident. Ship was hit by Reavers. Tha Black's a big place. And we's keep runnin' inta them, or their work. Damned if Jayne didn't feel like there was a personal connection. And it weren't no good feelin'.

It also weren't no good feelin' helpin' the Shepherd and the Doctor cut down all them bodies so's the Shepherd could say some words over them. Tha words seemed kinda hollow.

And Jayne wondered why The Alliance would let an obvious threat continue to exist. Don't make no sense, but there was some kinda answer just at the edge a his memory. He was sure of it!

He'd like to go see tha girl, thank her proper like, but she was locked away in Inara's shuttle with the Companion. He didn't think that was a bad idea, as it happened. With him on the derelict and the "survivor" in the Infirmary on _Serenity, _her bein' in a locked shuttle outta harms way was a some comfort.

Not much, but some. He'd try and see her when they was done with this gruesome business.

**Inara's Shuttle – Same Time**

River had gone to sleep with the hope of good dreams. She had saved _Ba__o hu zhe. _He had loved that she had. The slew of positive emotions she had felt from him were overpowering, in their own way, but she cherished each one nonetheless.

She craved for him to be near. Alas, he was not. He was on the derelict. Helping _ge ge _and the Man with the Book of Lies. The psychic needed him to be close, as she needed his familiar mind to lose herself in, as she did on her worst days when she knew not what else to do.

This day was worse than any other since she had arrived on _Serenity. _The ghosts of the derelict had been loud, but with Jayne near she had managed to deal with them. Dealing with them meant she had missed the live one, mostly, only an inkling remained. Knowing even an inkling was a danger, she had boarded the derelict and saved her Protector by consciously focusing on her mission.

Asleep, unable to connect strongly with Jayne's mind, and with obviously no conscious mission, her mind had wandered. And it had wandered into the dark recesses of the survivors memories. Reavers, and their awful, hideous acts.

The genius psychic woke, screaming, as her mind was assaulted by the vicious memories of the Reavers.

Inara did what she could, but the girl needed Jayne. River could not even ask for him, as all she could do was scream as the walls she had carefully constructed in her mind were destroyed, plunging her back into insanity.

**Cargo Bay – **_**Serenity**__ – _**Soon After**

The three men had finally finished their grisly work on tha derelict and had just come back. Jayne was pleased ta be off that ship, pleased to have got the valuable salvage, pleased that his _jingling _(and gorram it, the girl was, no one was ever gonna take her, as long as he drew breath) had saved him, and pleased that soon he'd be able ta thank her, proper like.

The pleased look fell from his face as that gorram proximity alarm activated again.

"No, no! Do not say that." Jayne cried. "It's the Reavers! Gorram Reavers have come back!"

He relaxed, somewhat, as he heard over the ships speakers:

"Firefly Class transport, you are ordered to release control of your helm. Prepare to dock and be boarded."

Reavers, no. But almost as bad for his charge, the ruttin' Alliance. As soon as they found her, they'd take her. Not on my watch he vowed.

With no time to waste, he found the Cap'n and outlined his plan.

Within ten minutes the Alliance Cruiser had automatically docked _Serenity _to the belly of the massive ship. As soon as a good seal was obtained, Alliance Purplebellies streamed into the cargo bay of the old Firefly.

The Commander of the Cruiser gave the word and soon all of the valiant Crew of _Serenity_ found themselves disarmed.

Mal decided to try and take charge of the situation, as was his want.

"Well now, ain't this a whole lotta fuss. I didn't know better, might think we was dangerous." he smirked.

The Commander of the Cruiser, Harken, was not impressed.

"Is this your vessel?"

"It is. Bought and paid for. I'm Captain Malcolm Reynolds."

"And is this everyone, Captain?" Harken asked as he motioned to the gathered Crew.

"By way of crew it is. Though you're gonna find in our Infirmary a fella we rescued from that derelict. Saved him, guess you could say."

Harken motioned for two of his men to go and check the Infirmary.

Jayne surveyed tha tactical situation as Mal and Harken bantered back and forth. Weren't no good, that's fer sure, Just have ta hope Mal can talk his way outta this.

The Head of Security's ears perked up at the talk of harborin' known fugitives. Not good. But Mal was playin' it pretty straight. Jayne was thankful, and impressed.

Just then the two who had gone to check the Infirmary came back and spoke to Harken, who turned and spoke to the assembled Crew, all friendly pretences gone.

"We'll continue this conversation in a more official capacity." he stated.

This was the cue for his mean to arrest the Crew and bring them aboard the Cruiser for interrogation. They had no choice but to come peaceably, which for Jayne meant forcibly shakin' off every attempt by a Purplebellie to hold him. They gave up, quick like.

"Every inch of this junker gets tossed." Harken ordered as he turned and stormed off _Serenity, _leaving dozens of his men on board to search the ship thoroughly. He'd find the fugitives, if they were here, of that he was sure.

In the meantime, he'd personally interrogate the Crew of probable illegal smugglers.

**Alliance Cruiser**

Jayne brought up the rear as the Crew were hustled aboard the Cruiser. He appeared nonchalant but actually he was worried. There was Purplebellies everywhere, and every minute they spent searchin' _Serenity _increased the chances the _hun dun's _would find the girl and her idiot brother.

He wondered where they was goin'. Detention area, prolly. Deck 39, Section C12, if he remembered right. The big man stopped in his tracks, only to be prodded from behind by the butt of an Alliance Trooper's rifle. Glarin' at the _feh feh pi goh, _he nevertheless allowed hisself ta be moved on as he pondered on what had just popped inta his mind. He ain't never been on one a these _yi da tuo da bian _before, why would he know where the brig was?

Eventually they got to their destination – Deck 39, Section C12 – and were separated into different cells. Jayne was approachin' panic when he saw the signs on the wall when they arrived, but her calmed hisself with great effort. Would do the Crew, hisself, and tha girl no good if he was actin' like a scared young'un.

_Serenity's _Head of Security was totally composed by the time they came for him.

**Alliance Cruiser – Interrogation Room**

The Alliance Trooper's were wary a him. One in front, and one in back, and they led him inta tha Interrogation Room.

The Alliance Commander, Harken, motioned for Jayne to sit, which he did.

Jayne appeared utterly unperturbed by his present situation. He leant back in his chair, cocked his head ta the side, crossed his arms, and stared at the Alliance _sha gwa, _his eyes borin' inta that of tha Commander's.

"Jayne Cobb." Harken looked up from his pad. "Mercenary. Paid gun for hire. "

No response from said hired gun.

Harken changed tack, trying to get a response.

"Would turn on anyone for money, maybe? Disloyal certainly. Perhaps even give over your own mother if the money was good enough?"

Fightin' for control, Jayne managed to keep the battle ragin' within' hisself off his face. He thoughta tha girl and won his internal battle.

For the next 10 minutes Harken tried every trick he knew to get an answer from Jayne, he would have settled for a grunt.

The only change Jayne made over tha entire period was ta slowly tap his fingers on one a his massive biceps, clearly tellin' tha Alliance Commander that he was on no mood ta deal with his _go se._

In the end Harken was so mad at the mercenaries lack of co-operation, and his lack of respect, that he ordered Jayne locked in "The Box", a tiny cell used for solitary confinement of troublesome prisoners.

Jayne was escorted ta his new cell, with a giant smirk on his face.

Well, Harken thought, we'll see how long that smirk lasts when he sees his new abode. The big man will have a hard time even fitting in the tiny cell.

**Serenity's Outer Hull**

Harken had vowed he would find the fugitive sibling's if they were anywhere inside _Serenity. _That was a losing bet for the Alliance Commander, for the fugitive sibling's were not in _Serenity, _they were _on _her. Her outer hull, to be precise.

With only minutes to come up with a solution, Jayne had spied the space suit Simon had used earlier and had an epiphany. There'd be every chance the Purplebellies would search every inch of the insides of the ship they could get to, but there was almost no chance they would search the external hull for the fugitive pair. Why would they? The idea was ludicrous.

Ludicrous or not, the Captain had accepted Jayne's idea without a second thought. The Doctor was not as quick to acquiesce, only agreeing when Kaylee assured him she would suit him up correctly, and only after he himself could not come up with a better alternative.

River was in no shape to argue, and that worried the big man. She was pale, her eyes darted about, and to Jayne it looked like she had gone fully _feng le _again. Not good, but he'd have to look inta that later. At least she wouldn't let anyone but him suit her up.

So here they were, upside down (relative to the normal plane), clinging to the outer hull of the old Firefly, waiting for the Alliance Troopers to finish desecrating _Serenity. _

Simon was, to put it mildly, terrified. The very thought of being out in the vacuum of space, with only a little Mylar and plexiglass separating a person from…nothing, was so far out of his usual frame of reference that he was almost catatonic.

Conversely, River was enjoying herself immensely. Concentrating on the vastness of The Black had allowed her to separate the evil thoughts of the Reavers from her own. That had allowed her to then separate the thoughts of the Alliance crew from that of the Crew of _Serenity_. Finally, with her mind in some semblance of order, she had begun to repair the mental walls she had recently constructed that had allowed her to act as a normal adult. Well, as normal as she could reasonably expect.

Soon, too soon for the girls liking, Simon had deduced that it was all clear. The Alliance had finished searching _Serenity. _They had not been found, and there would be no reason for the Troopers to search the old Firefly again.

"Let's go again!" River said, as Simon helped her off with her helmet. She really did find The Black to be a serene place.

"Later." he replied. "Maybe. Captain said once the coast was clear we should lay low in the shuttle. C'mon."

Suddenly Rivers face fell.

"He's coming back."

"Yes. Yes, of course he is. They all are. Captain Reynolds is used to these sorts of situations. We just have to be patient. Come on."

River sighed. _Ge ge_ didn't get it. He never did.

The two siblings set off for the spare shuttle, pausing at the door to the kitchen. The area was a mess, and if it was indicative of the state of the ship it would take quite a while to get it back in order. A small price to pay if they remained undiscovered.

Simon took his sister by the arm and went to move through, it was the quickest route to the shuttle. The girl refused to move.

"River, it's okay. They've gone. Come on."

She vigorously shook her head, grabbing him and pulling him back away from the door to the kitchen.

**The Box – Same Time**

When the two Purplebellies didn't take him back ta his original cell, Jayne knew exactly where he was goin'. The Box. And he was right. And he was sick of knowin' his way around this gorram ship somehow.

He'd been here now 'bout an hour or so, he reckoned, and the smirk had well and truly left his face. It was small, and it was dark. It were all sorts a uncomfortable, and that was tha point, a course. Truth was, he weren't so concerned fer his ownself, bein' as he'd been in worse spots afore.

No, he was worried on tha girl. Longer alla this _go se _took, more chance she'd be found. Only a limited air supply in tha suit, and who knows how she'd handle bein' out in Tha Black anyways.

He was itchin' ta get back ta her.

Debatin' on whether to start poundin' on the door some or not, he was surprised when the object of his thinkin' suddenly opened, and he was pulled out harshly by a coupla Purplebellies.

"Hey, where we goin'?" he asked, without expectin' an answer.

Without gettin' one, he was led, roughly, back in the general area of where _Serenity _was docked, if his reckoning was right.

It was.

_**Serenity – **_**Docking Port **

The Head of Security was not surprised to find his Cap'n waitin' for him. Mayhaps this was all done. But there was no sign of tha rest of tha Crew.

Only others there was that Alliance Commander, Harken, and a passell of Purplebellies. Jayne was shocked ta see one a them on tha ground, dead, with a pool a blood slowly expandin' around him.

"Cap'n, what's goin' on?"

"Our "survivor" has decided to play Reaver." Mal said as he looked down at the dead Alliance Trooper. "He's on _Serenity _by the looks. Familiar ground. We know the ship better than the good men here, so we get to find 'im."

Jayne's worry increased. River should be back on tha ship by now. She'd be in danger. Not only from our new pretend Reaver friend, but from any Alliance that got back on board the Firefly. _Go se._

"Ok. What about our cuff's?" he asked, lookin' at Harken. Both he and Mal had their hands cuffed behind their backs.

Harken took the key from one of his men, and uncuffed their hands, only to cuff them again from the front. Better, but not good.

Mal was not impressed.

"Thanks, now I'll really have the advantage." he deadpanned.

Harken was equally unimpressed.

"You two will go first. I don't feel like losing any more good men today. Open the airlock."

Mal and Jayne moved through the airlock, with the brave Alliance men following at a safe distance.

_**Serenity – **_**Kitchen**

The loud clang of the airlock opening was clear through the quietness of the dimly lit ship.

"Someone's coming."

Simon's panic rose, knowing he couldn't now get to the shuttle without being seen. What should we do? He didn't know.

**Cargo Bay**

Mal and Jayne led the Alliance men into the bowels of the ship.

"We'll spilt up.." Harken started.

"Best if we stick together." Mal interrupted.

"Unless ya in tha mood ta get picked off one by one?" Jayne added. Alliance dumbass.

Harken considered that for a moment, then finally nodded consent.

"Keene, Escobar, you two stay here. Watch the door. Don't need this thing back on my ship."

The two Troopers nodded and their Commander motioned for the _Serenity _men to lead on, which they did.

They went past the messed up Infirmary, through the common area, up the stairs, around to the engine room. Nothing. Finally, they all entered the kitchen and dining area.

Jayne immediately noticed a space suit helmet on the bench. _Tzao gao! _Hopefully they's in the shuttle, as planned, but if not...

Mal had seen it too, but had distracted the Alliance Commander with talk of spilled cutlery. Some of tha knives were missin'. Our pretend Reaver friend mayhaps?

While The Cap'n was talkin' with the Alliance, Jayne decided he'd best keep lookin'. Mebbe he'd run inta the Reaver, and he'd deal with him best he could, but as he walked outta the kitchen and turned inta tha foredeck hall, it wasn't tha Reaver he saw, but he'd run smack right inta Simon and his sister, tryin' ta hide in the shadows of tha wall.

He was happy ta see them, even Simon, meant they was alive, not pretend Reaver food. They all shared a smile of relief, which turned to dread as Jayne tensed.

There was Alliance men, not ten feet away. What in the gorram hell was we gonna do?

Jayne turned ta block tha door with his considerable bulk. As long as he drew breath no Alliance _hun dun _ was gonna get past. Unarmed, handcuffed, it was tha best he could do. Mayhaps it would buy River, and her brother, a few precious seconds ta escape to...somewhere.

His eyes met Mal's, and immediately the Cap'n knew from the steel in his Head of Security's eyes that he'd found somethin' on the other side of tha door. And the fact he'd turned his back meant it was the Tam's. _Go se. _A popular phrase for the day.

All three of the men of _Serenity _present were out of ideas.

As it seemed Harken was about to twig that something was amiss, a wild howl rang out as the self made Reaver leapt onto one of the Alliance Troopers, stabbing him in the neck. His artery severed, blood spraying onto the surprised face of the Alliance Commander.

Harken fumbled for his gun, but was too slow as the faux Reaver knocked it away, then lunged for the stunned man, who was repulsed at the sight he saw. The survivor had completely mutilated his face, his flesh was peeled back, his mouth pinned into a grimace by bits of metal – it was a hideous sight. The Reaver-like man snapped and snarled at the senior Alliance man as he attempted to take his life. And it looked like he would do just that as Harken could offer only token resistance.

Jayne, for his part, was not gonna help him. With Harken dead, or at least incapacitated, it would give him time ta hide the Tams again properly. That, for him, at least as far as River was concerned, was more important.

The Cap'n, however, was more hopeful. Hopeful that if he saved the man, he would be repaid in kind. So decision made, Mal struck.

The Browncoat leapt onto the attacker's back, bringin' his cuffed hands over his head and around his throat. This seemed to only anger the pretend Reaver more, who renewed his attacked on Harken, only bein' held back my Mal's power. With the issue in doubt, Mal summoned his remainin' strength and pulled back hard. There was a loud crack, as Mal let the body of the now dead survivor fall to the deck, his neck broke.

With the battle over, Mal and Harken shared a look, an understandin' appeared to have been reached.

Mal looked around, his Head of Security was nowhere in sight.

_**Serenity – **_**Bridge – Some Time Later**

Mal, Wash, Zoe, and Jayne, the Senior Crew, were on the Bridge as the old Firefly detached from the giant Alliance Cruiser.

They'd gone from bein' bound by law, ta bein' free ta go. A good result, but in Jayne's mind coulda been a mite better.

"Ya save his gorram life. And he still takes tha cargo. _Hun dun."_

The Cap'n was more pragmatic.

"Had to. Couldn't let us profit. Wouldn't be civilized."

They foursome continued to look at the slowly recedin' Cruiser as it fired on the spinnin' derelict, explosions tearin' its hull asunder.

**Dining Room – Two Days Later - Evening**

It had taken two days of furious work, but _Serenity _was mostly back as she should have been. There wasn't any damage, as such, just a lot of mess to be cleared up.

The Crew had revelled in the shared task, the work being seen somewhat as penance for escaping the clutches of the Alliance. To be sure, their Captain had saved the life of the Alliance Commander, and letting them go was the right thing to do, but the right thing was something that the Alliance all too often failed todo.

River had used the time to continue to repair her mental walls. The menial tasks, the routine, and of course the familiar minds had all helped in that process.

She and Jayne had not been able to have any "alone time", as such, these past two days, there had been much to do. They had, however, mostly worked together, as they often did these days, which none of the others found out of the ordinary.

It was nice to spend so much time together. It would have been nicer to spend that time alone. They had a lot to talk about.

Finally, the opportunity presented itself. Dinner had been prepared, eaten, cleaned away, and various Crew members had retreated to partake in various activities.

For the Head of Security, it was Weapons Maintenance. For the Head Cook, it was Watching the Heading of Security Perform Weapons Maintenance.

In actuality, River performed much of this herself, at Jayne's bequest. His ultimate plan was for her to be his back up, not just the ships cook. He knew she was capable, the rest of tha Crew would take some convincin' though.

"Ya did good girl." he said as he broke the companionable silence.

The girl cocked her eyebrow in return. She wouldn't read him if she could help it.

"On tha derelict. When that freak attacked me. Ya winged 'im. I would gotta 'im, eventual like, but was quicker. So thanks." he smiled.

"You are welcome, _Ba__o hu zh." _she smiled, and then frowned. "My shot was non-optimal. She, I, was not aiming for his upper arm."

"Well, ya ain't had much like practice. And _Boo's _prolly a mite heavy for ya." The big man thought for a few seconds. "Look, baby girl, I'm real proud a ya. Ya acted right quick, not ya fault ya shot was off. C'mere." he motioned.

She rose, gracefully, and walked over. Jayne involuntary gulped at the sight. Damned if it weren't mighty fine tha way she moved.

"Anybody close by?" he whispered.

She closed her eyes, and let her mind's eye wander.

"Wash and Zoe in their bunk, busy. Captain and Inara in her shuttle, arguing. Kaylee helping _ge ge _sort bandages in the Infirmary." She giggled. "Kaylee is _very _frustrated! The Shepherd is in his room engrossed in The Book That Lies. Either the Captain or Kaylee will disturb us shortly, whoever loses patience first." she giggled again.

Jayne thought it was a magical sound, he'd wish she did it more often. He pulled her down inta his lap.

This was new, she thought. Usually _Ba__o hu zhe_ was less forward. Perhaps he has resolved his issues?

"I was worried today I was gonna lose ya, that I wasn't gonna be there ta help ya none. So here."

River was hoping for a kiss. A kiss on the lips that would show Jayne had seen that they were meant to be, that they were bonded, forever.

Instead she got a gun. Well, baby steps.

It was _Ingrid, _the Walther PPK.

"She's a good gun. Really too small fer me anyways. Perfect for ya dainty hands. Ya already know how ta look after her. We'll have ta rig some sorta holster fer ya too. I'll keep the ammo less I hafta leave ya alone, like tha other day. Least until Mal agrees ya can keep her. Hafta work on that some."

River gave him a _very _bright smile. It wasn't a kiss on the lips, but it wasn't a baby step either. Jayne wouldn't let anyone else even _hold _one of his guns, except for her helping with their maintenance. But to be _given _one, to _keep, _was another thing entirely.

She was sure, now, that eventually she would get the kiss she craved.

Chinese:

_Jingling – _Pixie

_Go tsao de – _Dog fornicator

_Feng le - _Crazy

_Dong ma? - _Understand

_Ba__o hu zhe - _Protector

_Ge ge – _Big brother

_Hun dun - _Jerk

_Feh feh pi goh – _Baboon's ass crack

_Yi da tuo da bian – _A big pile of crap

_Sha gwa - _Fool

_Go se - _Crap

_Tzao gao! – _Oh crap!

A/N Next – Re-imagined Shindig. Not sure what we'll do with that as it's a very Mal-Inara focused episode. Maybe that'll be the mythical short chapter? We'll see.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 10 - Shindig**

A/N Most of the actual action in this episode takes place off the ship with Mal and Inara, so it's not included, as such, here. We'll be developing some characters and relationships, some big episodes coming up for our favorite duo though.

**Santo – Qin Shi Huang System – Early September 2517**

The ship had made a quick stop on Santo on their way to their "base" at Persephone. Santo was the only planet in the Qin Shi Huang System, although it had two moons of its own.

They'd delivered a small cargo here, and Mal had decided to stay the night before headin' out ta tha Lux System and Persephone.

In what was a sure sign of their growin' friendship, Mal had invited Jayne out for a drink. Not Mal, Zoe, and Jayne. Just Mal and Jayne. Were a bit of a surprise, truth be told, and what were more of a surprise was that Inara, _Inara, _had wanted to tag along.

It was obvious, well at least ta Jayne and River, and bein' a reader mebbe helped there, that there was somethin' between The Cap'n and The Companion. Somethin' they refused ta admit, mayhaps even ta themselves. River called it somethin' from the "days of our lives" or somesuch, which the girl found mighty hi-larious. Jayne didn't know what she was talkin' on, his ownself, but it made the _jingling _laugh so it musta been good.

So here they was, playin' holo pool with two _hun dun's, _in a bar full of _hun dun's, _while the elegant Companion watched on from her perch at the bar.

_Serenity's _Head a Security took a gulp a his considerable drink as he tuned back inta what one of tha other men, a Cap'n his ownself, was sayin'.

"Didn't hardly have to convert the ship, even." the other Captain, Wright, started as he aimed his cue for a shot. "Six in the corner pocket." he stated. "Stronger locks, thicker doors, keep everybody where they're supposed to be. Don't even need more rations…"

Wright was about to take his shot when the holo pool balls flickered.

"Hey!' he exclaimed, lookin' at the barkeep, as Jayne did his ownself.

The barkeep was not impressed, only pointin' to a crude sign which said, in Alliance Standard (English and Chinese):

"MANAGEMENT NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR BALL FAILURE"

Sighing, Wright took his shot and missed.

"Flicker threw me off." was his excuse.

It were the Capn's turn, but Jayne wanted ta know more 'bout exactly what these two had been upta. Sounded awful much like slavers. If true, they'd hafta pay.

"Ya made money huh?" he asked Wright.

"Hand over fist, my friend. Rim worlds need labor. Terraforming crews got a prodigious death rate."

"Side pocket." Mal bumped inta Wright as he moved around ta take his shot. He took it, it were good. "Labor. Ya mean slaves."

It weren't a question. Seems the Cap'n were on that same page. Shiny.

Wright and his man, Holder, chuckled.

"They wasn't volunteers, for damn sure."

Mal's voice was cold as he took another shot.

"That why ya didn't hafta lay in more rations?"

"I didn't hear no complaints."

Wright and Holder let out full, loud, laughs at Wright's "joke".

Mal missed his shot, and headed over ta Inara.

It were an easy shot, Jayne thought. Well, tha funs about ta start, best get The Companion outta tha place before it erupts. Some stallin' required.

"How much money?" he asked. "Lots?"

Mal was fumin'. Slavers. Well, they're about ta get theirs. He strode over ta Inara, casual like.

"There's a chance ya may wanna head back ta the ship."

"Oh, I'm alright." she smiled. "This is entertaining, actually."

The Cap'n was intrigued.

"Yeah? What's entertainin'?"

"I like watching the game." The Companion started. "As with other situations, the key seems to be giving Jayne a heavy stick and standing back." she finished as ran her eyes approvingly over _Serenity's _Head of Security.

Mal _didn't _miss _that_ shot, and whether it was genuine, or whether it was ta rile him up some, didn't matter none. He stepped in front of Inara to block her view of tha big man.

"Still," he said, movin' inta her personal space, "think ya oughtta clear out 'fore too much longer. Seems there's a thief about."

"A thief?"

"He took this right off 'em." the Cap'n deadpanned as he waved a wad of cashy money at Inara. "They earned that with the sweat of their slave-tradin' brows."

"Mal!" Inara cried, shocked even at _her_ petty thief's actions.

"Terrible shame. 'Course they won't notice 'til they go pay for their next drink…"

Which, unfortunately, seemed to be right at that moment, as Wright's hand fell heavily on Mal's shoulder. The Cap'n had time for one more witty remark to Inara, before all hell broke loose.

"Good drinker, that one." he said to Inara, then spun around quickly, landin' an almighty thump onta Wright's jaw.

It was on.

Holder went ta blind side Jayne with his pool cue. He coulda dealt with that one in his sleep. He ducked easily, then kicked Holder in the gut, sendin' him flyin'. Another of Wright's men charged at Jayne, who dispatched him with his pool cue. A third, much large man, came on, attemptin' to kick Jayne in his own gut. Catchin' the man's huge leg easily, Jayne knocked him out cold with a massive forearm of his own ta tha head.

Jayne was havin' a wonderful time. Only thing that would make it better if tha _jingling _was here ta see.

The two Cap'ns, meanwhile, were goin' at it in the corner. It were an even fight, Mal eventually getting' the upper hand after pullin' Wright's duster over his head, temporarily blindin' him. This allowed _Serenity's _Captain ta get in a series a blows, disablin' tha slaver captain. Sensin' it was time ta go, Mal surveyed the area, saw Jayne was good, grabbed Inara and headed for tha door.

Seein' The Cap'n had won his battle and was good ta go, The Head a Security was not quite finished. Wright's last man, a little guy, thought Jayne was distracted and tried to smash him with a pool cue. Smilin', the big man easily dodged the ineffective attack, punchin' the man in the face before throwin' him fair across the room and over the bar, smashin' the large mirror at tha back.

As _Serenity's _trio headed out it was Inara who had the last word, tellin' the less than impressed, but suitably scared, barkeep, "Lovely place, I'll tell my friends."

**Persephone – Lux System – Two Days Later**

Some would say Persephone was like a second home to them that was on _Serenity. _Cap'n would disagree. "We sniff tha air, we don't kiss tha dirt." That was his official opinion on tha place.

The Lux system was tha outermost of tha Inner Systems – basically tha gateway from tha Inner Systems ta tha Border Worlds, and hence ta Tha Rim. A lot a work fer tha old Firefly originated on Persephone.

It were a strange place. A mixture a Core and Rim, ya could find whatever ya wanted, be it legal or not, if ya knew where ta look – or who ta ask.

That were tha good side. Tha not so good side was that it were fair crawlin' with Alliance, of every description. A dangerous place fer known fugitives, and fer them that was harborin' said fugees.

Tha deal was, resupply, look fer a job, be off world on a day or two. Tha usual. Only this was the first time they'd been back here since they'd picked up tha Tam's. Or was it been picked up _by _the Tam's. Jayne shook his head. Didn't matter none. They was here, _girl _was here, and he wouldn't change that for all the platinum in Londonium.

Her dumbass brother was, as usual, cataloguin' supplies in the Infirmary, so he'd taken the opportunity ta slip inta her room ta make sure she knew how it was goin' down.

She knew he was comin', a course. Tried not ta read his mind, she said, but she always seemed ta know where he was. Well, most times anyways. Another thing he really didn't mind none. As he came through the door he was jumped, findin' hisself bein' aggressively hugged in no time flat.

"Gorram it woman, git offa me!' he said, but made no move ta break the contact.

River just giggled as she held on tight.

"Fine." he grumped, and returned the embrace. "Ya gonna be the death a me if'n anyone walks in."

The psychic broke apart slightly and gave him her best boob look. "Do not worry _Ba__o hu zhe." s_he said as tapped her temple.

Jayne grumpily pulled her bag inta the hug, but was secretly pleased. Well, pleased, weren't really too many secrets ta be had, he supposed.

"Look, this here planet's crawlin' with gorram Alliance. But we do a lotta business here. Shepherd's gonna lock the boat up tight while we's gone. _Don't _leave. Even if I've been kidnapped by Reavers, ok?"

The girl's grip tightened considerably on him at that. She was way stronger than she looked, which wasn't hard, really. Still, he knew he'd said the wrong thing.

"I ain't gonna be kidnapped by Reavers, baby girl, but whatever happens, don't leave the ship, _dong ma? _I might be able ta tear apart a border moon and find ya if'n that was needed, but if they get ya here ya liable ta be got fer good, ok. Ya hear me girl?"

He could feel her noddin' slightly inta his chest.

"Good." he said, as he kissed the top of her head. "I gots me plenty a coin, so I'm gonna go get some fresh food, and we can have a cookin' lesson, with _real food, _later, ok?"

"That would be most agreeable, _Ba__o hu zhe. _And I will take it as your word that you will not be kidnapped, by Reavers or otherwise."

"JAYNE! Where are ya? C'mon, time ta go!" Mal's was a mite tetchy. Didn't usually mind bein' on Persephone none, but the fugees changed that a bit.

"Ya know where the clip for _Ingrid _is if'n ya need it. I trust ya on that. Gotta go girl, be good."

"I know, I will, and be safe, _Ba__o hu zhe."_

One more quick hug and he was gone. River sighed in contentment, worried about being so close to so many Alliance officials, but happy to be so close to one big, gruff, Head of Security.

**Streets of Persephone – That Afternoon**

Wash had seen to the fuelin' of tha old Firefly that mornin'. Kaylee had been unable to scare up any cheap spare parts, so it was time fer tha Crew ta do their supply run.

They'd gotten what small supplies they'd needed, includin' the fresh food Jayne wanted. The whole Crew were happy with that, it meant a good meal tonight, fer which they were much obliged.

Kaylee, Zoe and Wash were leadin' the way back ta tha Mule, with Jayne and The Cap'n bringin' up tha rear. They gots to carry the heavy stuff a course.

The wimmin folk, Wash included in that bunch, ground ta a halt in front of a fancy dress shop.

"Ooh! Look at the pretties!' Kaylee cried.

Jayne tuned tha entire conversation out. His thoughts were on tha _jingling. _She should be wearin' such fancified clothes, goin' ta balls and whatnot. Not gallivantin' around tha 'Verse on an old mid-bulk with a bunch a petty thieves, doin' crime. It weren't fair. Jayne shook his head, yet again. Nope, weren't fair. But the 'Verse weren't fair. It just was. And she'd just have ta deal with the hand she was dealt. A 'course the girl now had some help in that regard.

He smiled at that as he absentmindedly loaded tha Mule at Mal's request. Tha wimmin folk, Wash again included in that bunch, drove off in a huff once the Mule was loaded, leavin' The Cap'n and The Head a Security alone. Apparently Mal had put his foot in it somehow, Jayne didn't care none about that.

He didn't care about the feelin's of any of tha Crew, as it appeared someone, behind them, had cocked a whole passell a guns.

Mal and Jayne turned ta see Badger, a fine hat on his head and a large smile on his face. The little weasel had every reason ta smile. He'd gotten tha drop on _Serenity's _duo, three a his lads had 'em dead ta rights.

"Badger." The Cap'n nodded.

"Captain Reynolds." The cockney weasel returned the greetin'. "Heard you was in town. Thought we might have a bit of a sit down."

The Cap'n was not impressed.

"I'd prefer a bit of a 'piss off'."

Badger smiled, but it didn't meet his eyes.

"I'm very sorry. Did I give you the impression I was askin'?"

_Go se_, Jayne thought. I've just been kidnapped!

_**Serenity **_**– Cargo Bay – Same Time**

River was happy. With no one aboard save for her _ge ge _and The Shepherd, she was able, for once, to indulge herself and dance. Neither was in attendance in the cargo bay, the girl could probably still dance with her _ge ge _watching, but she did not have the confidence as yet to do so with any other watching her performance, besides _Ba__o hu zhe _of course.

The young woman was happy for another reason. _Ba__o hu zhe _was sure to have purchased _real food, _which meant another cooking lesson! River enjoyed the tactile aspect of her cooking lessons a great deal, as she knew Jayne did. Oh yes, it would be most gratifying for the pair.

Leaping and twirling, she was losing herself in the motion when a powerful thought hit her, causing her steps to falter.

_Kidnapped!_

The psychic tried to keep a low level bond with her _Ba__o hu zhe _whenever possible. Nothing too detailed, just a general indication as to his wellbeing. To get such a specific meaning meant an enormous spike of feeling on his end.

Trying to keep her rising panic under check, River gracefully moved over to Jayne's weight bench and sat down, cross legged. It would help her concentrate. She opened her mind and let it roam, searching out her _Ba__o hu zhe._

He was found quickly enough, and she relaxed. Kidnapped? Not quite. He was at tea – forcibly – but at tea nonetheless – with Badger. River was amused. _Ba__o hu zhe _was not concerned at his present predicament, as such. He was concerned at what _she _would think of the coincidental turn of events, however.

River relaxed and smiled to herself. _Ba__o hu zhe _should be concerned_. _She _was _going to tease him _mercilessly_!

**The Den of Badger – At Tea**

The two men had been escorted, firmly but politely, inta the oft seen den of tha little weasel. This time was a little different from that last though. This time, they was almost like honored guests.

Jayne was mighty amused.

As was Mal, especially when Badger himself poured them tea.

"Seems to me," Mal said, "last time there was a chance for a little palaver, we were all manner of unwelcome."

Before Badger could reply, Jayne spoke up.

"That's not bad." he said as he gulped his tea, genuinely impressed.

The little cockney chose to answer the big man.

"There's a trick to it. Wood alcohol."

"Now, we're favored guests," Mal continued, "treated to the finest in beverages that make you blind. So what is it you need?"

Jayne ignored the two men as he took the opportunity to stock up on cookies, finger sandwiches, and tea laced with wood alcohol. Ah, good dinin'!

The two men for their part ignored him and got down to business.

"There's this local," Badger started, "name of Warwick Harrow. He's got some property he wants to sell off-planet, to fetch a higher price."

"But the local power won't let him sell off-world." Mal finished.

"It's a conundrum." Badger continued. "What my man Harrow needs hisself is a smuggler. I'm willing to cut you in on it."

"Why me?" the Browncoat asked. "You've got access to ships. You could do it yourself."

"He won't deal with me direct. Taken an irrational dislike."

"What happened?" Jayne interrupted? "He see your face?"

Mal couldn't help the smile that spread across his face at Badger's shocked look.

"He's a quality gent. Nose in the air like he never _wun gwo pee. _Don't find me respectable. You, I figure, you got a chance."

Mal shook his head.

"You backed out of a deal, last time. Left us hangin'."

"Hurt our feelin's." Jayne nodded his agreement.

"You recall why that took place?" Mal asked, still smilin' at Jayne's antics.

Badger was quick to his own defence. "I had a problem with your attitude, is why. Felt you was, what's the word?" He looked around, confusion on his face.

"Pretentious." Jayne supplied.

Mal looked at his Head of Security, shocked. Where did that word come from? It only took him a second or two ta make tha connection. Tha Core girl, River. They been spendin' an awful amount a time together these past few weeks. Seems like the teachin' was a two way street. Good. They'd scored a decent cook, _and _an upgraded Head a Security. Shiny.

"Exactly!" the little crime lord cried. "You think you're better than other people."

"Just the one's I'm better than." Mal deadpanned. "And now I'm thinkin' that very quality is tha one ya placin' value on taday."

Badger wasn't backin' down in the negotiations.

"I place value on the fact that the stick up your _pi gu_ is 'bout as large as the one Harrow's got."

Neither was The Cap'n.

"How would you even set up a meet? Man won't even deal with ya."

"I know a place he'll be. Safe place, using some new tech gun scans. High class, too. They wouldn't let me in there, but you might slip by. 'Course you couldn't buy an invite with a diamond the size of a testicle. But I got my hands on a couple."

Badger leaned back, impressed with hisself.

Mal looked at Jayne, who looked back at Mal. Suddenly; they both burst out laughin' uncontrollably.

It took the little weasel a crime a couple a seconds ta catch on.

"Of invites!" he said as his face turned red. "Ya want the meetin' or not?"

The deal was done, and the meet was on.

_**Serenity – **_**Common Room – That Night**

Turned out tha meet with tha new contact was at a highly unusual place. A beautiful ball, held at a stately manner. It was ta be tha social event of tha year.

One person very interested in the place, and event, was Lil Kaylee. Cap'n needed ta attend, and he needed an escort. So Lil Kaylee gots to get that pink dress with tha ruffles she had seen earlier that day. And best of all, the Cap'n paid.

Cap'n was very interested in tha ball his ownself. Tha meet was there, sure. But just as important to Mal was that this also happened to be Inara's destination for tha evenin'. She had been engaged by some very high flyer, name of Atherton Wing, ta hang off his arm, so he's could pretend like he'd won her over, fair and square. No doubt the rest a them fancible folk would go along with the charade.

Yep, Mal was real interested ta see how that played out.

Lil Kaylee sure cleaned up nice, Jayne was very proud a tha way his little adopted _mei mei _looked in her new dress. _Serenity's _mechanic would outshine all a those rich gals, if not with her beauty, then definitely with her personality and her kind nature.

Cap'n better look after her there, or I might have ta pound on him some if she comes back unhappy, Jayne thought.

So off they went, and while they was off playin' rich folks, Jayne, Book, and The Doc settled down fer a game a tall card.

Jayne still didn't like the little pansy ass Doc none, and he was sure the feelin' was mutual like. But he knew his stuff, and Jayne respected him professionally fer that. And his sister had let it slip that The Doc respected Jayne's abilities to protect them. Jayne of course had another reason to give that Doc a little slack, that bein' the girl her ownself.

The two had not-declared an unofficial truce, and that was how they had come to be playin' tall card together, with no intentions of murderlising each other and mayhaps only minimal use of barbs. Mebbe havin' The Shepherd on hand had somethin' ta do with it as well.

It was a fairly amiable way ta pass tha time until the Cap'n and Lil Kaylee returned from tha soiree with news a the job, and playin' fore chores made it a mite interestin'.

River was in the kitchen, watching her two favorite men interact.

Pleased that they were past their open hostility stage, she sure that one day they would become, if not friends, then certainly allies. She was also pleased Simon had given up his insistence on a drug regime, not that he had a choice, and that had allowed the fabric of their relationship to heal. They were not as close as they once were, and could never be again, but River was very pleased there were no longer any unnecessary obstacles between them.

She loved her brother very much, and would be eternally grateful for the organising of her rescue, but his insistence on drugs being the cure for her ailments was short sighted at best.

What she was not pleased about, however, was that the promised cooking lesson had not materialised. There was also some off feeling that had colored her mind, and she hadn't been able to figure out what that was about.

She looked at the tinned food in the kitchen where the real food for her cooking lesson with Jayne should be, and wasn't, and that made her angry. Illogical, but insistent. Mumbling to herself she started banging the tins on the bench, and ripping some of the labels off.

That brought her antics to the attention of tha three men. Jayne had his back ta tha kitchen and couldn't see what was goin' on. He weren't overly concerned at this point.

"River!" Simon cried, and went to go to his sister.

"Sit down, Doc." Jayne ordered, without turnin' around. "Tha girl's the Cook, she's in tha kitchen, let her do what she wants. Her responsibility."

_Serenity's _Cook stopped her mumbling, tearing of labels, and banging of tinned food.

"You, _Ba__o hu zhe, _are the cause of this angst and you are _not _to try and command this situation! You _promised _a cooking lesson, with _real food, _and you have _reneged_ on your promise!"

"_Ba__o hu zhe?"_ Simon asked.

Jayne wasn't pleased none that River's name for him had got out, but it were innocent enough, if ya didn't know the full context, he supposed.

"Yeah, I'm tha Head a Security for this here ship, ain't I? I protect the Crew, the passengers, the cargo.."

"I suppose.." Simon was not quite convinced, but decided to let it slide, for now.

"Perhaps you should be no longer _Ba__o hu zhe, _but _Chengnuo duanlu qi!"_

The yellin', bangin' and whatnot had been loud enough ta bring Wash and Zoe down from tha Bridge, and they arrived just in time ta see a small tin, of what was later determined ta have been peaches, sail through tha air and hit Jayne plumb in tha back of tha head.

Tha big man jumped up with a growl and stormed inta the kitchen. All present were certain the girl was in no danger, but Zoe rested her hand on her Mare's Leg, just in case.

Grabbin' the genius cook's shoulders, Jayne looked inta her eyes and most of that anger drained outta him.

"Gorram it woman, what tha ruttin' hell was that fer?"

The girl was contrite.

"I am sorry _Ba__o hu zhe. _I was so looking forward to our lesson that I let the disappointment get the better of me. My mind is clouded with thoughts of those who are not of this ship but who are, or who wish to be, and the monthly flows of life have returned, and that is confusing and complicating, and I do not wish for further confusion and complications, and I wish to have a cooking lesson, and just to be normal woman, for I am not a girl, I am a woman!"

A single tear ran down her cheek as she broke free from Jayne's grip and ran for her room.

Jayne's heart just about broke at tha look in her eyes just before she ran. He wanted ta go ta her, but couldn't. It prolly weren't tha best thing anyways. Funny thing, though, he didn't think it were a _feng le _moment, just a normal girl, er woman, moment.

"I thought she was getting better." Simon began, "I better go to her."

"Leave her be Doc." Jayne ordered.

"I don't think you are an expert Jayne, on the broken psyche."

"The Doctor should see to his sister." Book agreed.

"Nope, I ain't no expert on tha broken mind. But why fore ya have ta think that's what happened. Seems ta me she just had a hissy fit. I done promised her a cookin' lesson, but we couldn't have it 'cause Mal and Kaylee are off at tha ball. So she's angry. It's normal like. So I ain't no fancy pants Doc, but I know more than tha two a you…" he motioned ta the Doctor and the Shepherd, "about women, and prolly have since I was thirteen. So just leave her be."

Jayne sat down, pretty sure he was right. At least ta why she was angry.

Zoe agreed, but she was also pretty sure all tha men, Wash included in that bunch, had missed the "monthly flows of life" comment. She'd take it up later in private with the Doctor once she had spoken with River, if she agreed.

"Hate ta think Jayne's our resident expert of womanly behaviour, but I see it tha same way. Jayne was a _hun dun _who promised and didn't deliver." There was no heat in the words. "River got angry. Happens. I'll go check in on her in a bit."

**Cargo Bay – Midnight**

Jayne was still a mite angry at how the evenin' had turned out. Gorram woman had thrown a fit, and a can a peaches, and ruined a perfectly middlin' game a tall card.

He was workin' through some sets a pull-ups when he noticed a particular smell. It were the faint smell a cinnamon, someone's shampoo, and he kinda liked it, truth be told.

"Ya gonna just stand there and stare woman?"

River said nothing. The young woman had had a talk with Zoe, and at least a portion of her troubles were now less confusing, and for that she was grateful. The implants the Academy inserted to regulate her cycles, amongst other things, appeared to have expired, Zoe was sure that her and the other women aboard the ship would be able to sort out that particular dilemma for the young woman.

Realising she had acted poorly earlier, she had come to apologise, not wanting her _Ba__o hu zhe _to go to his sleep cycle angry with her.

"You are not a _Chengnuo duanlu qi. _I am sorry for saying so."

The former Merc stopped his pull-ups and walked over to her. He brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear and smiled.

"I am. It weren't my fault but I am. I ain't gonna apologise none fer it, all I can say is that when The Cap'n and Lil Kaylee are back safe and sound, we can have tha cookin' lesson. Wouldn'ta be fair to use up tha real food if they ain't here, _dong ma?"_

"_Wo dong." _the genius replied. "Sometimes it all gets to be too much for me to handle…."

"Can't say I know exactly how you mean, baby girl…" he started as he pulled her inta a hug, "but I'll try and be here fer ya, even if'n I am the 'cause a some of ya troubles.."

He could feel her smile as he held her. It were nice. Felt right. She seemed to fit, just so. Feelin' the need ta tell her so, he was just about ta when a loud metallic bangin' sound came from the outer airlock area.

Jayne and River immediately broke apart, Jayne drawin' _Boo. _He spared River a quick glance only ta get an eyeful of creamy thigh, as she hitched her dress up to draw _Ingrid _from her thigh holster. If she was gonna continue ta wear dresses and skirts and tha like, only place to conceal a weapon was in a thigh holster. Jayne hadn't figured on how distractin' it would be.

The professorial part of his brain was impressed at how River had sprung inta action, even though _Ingrid _wasn't loaded. That part of his brain won tha internal battle, as it should right now, and he pulled the clip for _Ingrid _he always kept on hand from one of his many pockets and threw it over ta the gun hand in trainin'.

Smoothly loading and cocking the Walther PPK, she gracefully moved to a concealed spot where she could cover _Serenity's _Head of Security whilst he investigated the source of the disturbance.

Meanwhile, Jayne had moved over ta tha airlock and had discreetly peered through the inspection hatch. Tha man lookin' back was not on the top three people Jayne had expected to see.

It were the little weasel of a crime lord, Badger.

Opening' the airlock's inner door, Badger barged in, passin' tha wrench he'd been usin' to bang on the airlock door ta Jayne.

"Your Captain's gone and got himself in trouble."

**Cargo Bay – Later**

At Badger's pronouncement Jayne had immediately got on tha intercom and roused Zoe and Wash. They'd collected Tha Shepherd and Tha Doctor on tha way, and Jayne had used their entrance ta spirit River away to the relative safety of her room.

Or he would have, if she was where she had been when Badger walked in. Seemed the little _jingling _knew when ta leave, and how ta do it quiet like. He'd checked, she _was _in her room, lookin' tha picture a innocence. He was almost fooled at tha act his ownself.

Instructions were given that she was ta stay in her room, no matter what.

Satisfied that his protégé was all good, he'd taken the long way back ta tha cargo bay and picked up _Sally, _a pump action shotgun. Never know when he might need the extra firepower.

He'd made it back in time ta hear most of what tha little rident had ta say. Seem Mal, tha dumbass, had got hisself inta a sword duel, a all things, ta take place tamorrow. At dawn. Over Inara a course. That tempered Jayne some, can't say he wouldn't never get inta a duel over the _jingling _after all.

Badger then dropped a bombshell. He weren't here to come fer help fer a rescue. He was here ta stop any rescue attempt bein' made! That_Ching-wah tsao duh liou mahng__!_

At least he was here on his own, seems Mal weren't tha only dumbass. Cockin' _Sally, _Jayne levelled tha gun square at tha back a tha cockney criminal's head.

Zoe was happy ta see Jayne's anger at the situation, but knew it were hopeless, at least right now.

"Jayne. I wouldn't." the First Mate said.

"Why not?"

The warrior woman nodded tawards tha doorway. Jayne looked over ta see Lil Kaylee in her prettified dress – surrounded by four a Badger's goons. They cocked their guns, ready ta defend their Boss.

With Kaylee under threat, nothin' Jayne could do. Lowerin' _Sally, _he let out a growl a frustration.

Kaylee was lookin' despondent, and a mite scared, her ownself.

A limp "Hi." was all she could muster to the stunned Crew of the old Firefly.

Some time had passed and Badger and his lads still had them hostage in their own cargo bay. Jayne, as Head a Security, was mighty offended at that.

Wash was tryin' ta sleep, Book was readin' his Bible, leavin' Jayne, Zoe, Simon and a less prettified Kaylee ta play some tall card.

"….but he said not ta do anythin'. He'll join us after he wins tha duel." Kaylee was powerful confident he would.

Bein' as there was swords involved, Jayne was far less so.

"And what if he don't win?"

Zoe agreed.

"It doesn't hurt to have a contingency plan Kaylee."

Simon spoke next.

"I'm thinking; since we're unarmed, we should take them by surprise all at once."

Jayne thought that was ridiculous. Badger, and four armed, hardened Mercs, ta be taken down by Jayne, Zoe, a pilot, a doctor, a shepherd and a mechanic, all without a knife between 'em. Dumbass.

Zoe did not agree with the Doctor's genius attack plan.

"Not necessarily. We could lure one or two of 'em away, say, to the Infirmary, take 'em out. Be on Badger 'fore he knows what happened."

Likin' this plan much better, Jayne decided ta give his input.

"Only if his attention's elsewhere. We need a diversion. I say Zoe gets nekkid!"

"Nope." Wash said, his head still restin' on his knees. Seems he weren't havin' any success at sleepin'.

"I could get nekkid…" Jayne deadpanned.

That brought Wash's head up, as he added his "NO!" to the resoundin' whispered chorus of same.

Suddenly the Crew were broken out of their intense plannin' by the voice a Badger.

"Who's that then?" he asked, as River walked inta the cargo bay. Intrigued, he advanced on the young woman. "Look at me." he ordered. "What's your story, luv?"

"She's just a passenger." said the Doctor, as he moved in front of the little cockney crime lord.

"Yeah? Why ain't she talkin'? She got a secret?"

"No, I'm sure not…" Simon started, but was interrupted by his sister, perfectly mimicking Badger's accent.

"Sure, I got a secret. More'n one."

It was now _her _turn to advance on the little weasel.

"Don't seem likely I'd tell 'em to you, do it? Anyone off Dyton Colony knows better'n to talk to strangers."

She moved into his personal space and picked something absently off his lapel. Badger was enthralled by the young woman in front of him, his men watching the scene with rapt attention.

Jayne was not enchanted by the scene. He felt his rage rising. Intellectually he knew exactly what she was doin', but emotionally he couldn't share her, not even falsely, and not even a little bit. Took all his concentration just ta stay rooted ta his spot.

"You're talking loud enough for the both of us," the genius psychic continued, "though, ain't you? I've known a dozen like you. Skipped off home early, minor graft jobs here and there. Spent some time in the lock-down, I warrant, but less than you claim. Now you're what? Petty thief with delusions of standing? Sad little king of a sad little hill."

Even though he'd just be taken down a peg, Badger thought he was still in tha game.

"Nice to see someone from the old homestead." he smiled.

Cockney River was not impressed.

"Not really." she said with a little shake of her head. "Call me if anyone interesting shows up." she said to the room at large as she gracefully sauntered out of the room.

Badger, though, was still smilin'.

"I like her."

The Crew were all shocked, and impressed. Includin' a still angry, but less so, Jayne. He knew he'd screwed up, lettin' his attachment ta the girl get in tha way of what needed doin'. He mentally kicked himself. Still, the _jingling _had done a great job, and if'n she was ever ta become more than tha cook, she needed ta do exactly what she'd just done. Jayne aimed at make sure they all knew it.

"See, that there?" he whispered ta the assembled Crew. "_Exactly _tha kinda diversion we coulda used. Seems tha girl is smarter than all a us put together. She get's all a their attention and we just sit here like a bunch a dumbasses. Tha girl really is somethin'."

He couldn'ta kept tha pride outta his voice if'n he wanted ta. Fer a change tha others actually picked up on it, ta varyin' degrees, all seein' just how much Jayne actually thoughta tha petite young woman.

None were worried by that, not even Simon. He was certain, in that brotherly way, that anything Jayne thought about River _must_ be platonic. And certainly Jayne having positive thoughts towards his sister and her usefulness to the ship would mean she would be just that much safer, and more secure, aboard _Serenity. _And that was a good thing, wasn't it?

**Cargo Bay – Next Morning**

It were well past dawn and still nothin' had been heard from tha Cap'n or Inara. None of tha Crew had managed ta get no sleep, neither. So, it was time for action.

"Doc is fillin' the Shepherd in on the plan." Jayne whispered to Zoe. "We're ready to move on your signal. Doc's the diversion…"

Zoe nodded in agreement with tha plan, but before she could give tha signal a familiar voice rang out from tha open airlock.

"Did you ever see such a lazy Crew?"

It were The Cap'n, lookin' like _go se, _and supported by Inara. Seems he won the duel after all.

The all approached their Captain, with The Doctor leading the way, concern on his face.. He'd seen Mal's wounds and wanted to start treatment immediately.

"You're hurt." Doc did have a certain way of statin' the obvious.

Before Simon could check Mal's wounds Badger stuck his little weasel like nose in.

"You get us a deal?"

"I got a deal." The Browncoat sneered. "Now get off my ship!"

That's all Badger wanted ta hear. Weren't interested in any party or duel details, the job was the only important point for him.

"Ta very much for a lovely night then."

Placing his little bowler hat on his little cockney head, he whistled the signal to his men to form up on him and head back to his sad little hill, er his formidable den.

With Badger gone tha Browncoat was able ta relax a little. He allowed hisself ta be seated in a comfortable chair and waited for tha inevitable fussin'.

"Are you badly hurt?" Book asked.

Mal nodded his head in the affirmative.

Jayne, as Head a Security, felt duty bound ta explain what was about ta happen.

"We was just about ta spring inta action Cap'n. A complicated escape and rescue op."

"I was gonna watch." Wash deadpanned. "It was very exciting."

Jayne secured tha airlock door, and once that was done River came outta hidin' ta join in tha revelry.

The fussin' went on for a bit until Mal had had enough.

Simon took it as his opportunity to get The Captain to The Infirmary to be seen to.

The cargo wouldn't be arrivin' 'til well after dark, so once their Cap'n was fixed up the entire Crew took the opportunity to catch up on some much needed rest.

**Kitchen – Afternoon**

Jayne knew that once tha Crew roused they'd be mighty hungry. No one, from the Cap'n down, had eaten much grub since Mal and Lil Kaylee went on their mission.

So, he'd aim ta make sure all tha real food he'd bought was ready ta go for an early dinner. Cookin' weren't his job. It were the _jingling's_. What was his job, in relation ta cookin', was givin' lessons were appropriate.

But were it appropriate, at all? He knew she loved the lessons, and he suspected fer more than culinary reasons. There was _no_ suspectin', at all, where his ownself was concerned.

Shakin' the thought off, it didn't matter none. Tha promise was made, tha lesson would start as soon as she arrived.

"Sleep well, _Ba__o hu zhe?" _the girl in question said as she entered the room behind him. He weren't surprised she was there, she was a reader after all, and she prolly got some sleep last night.

"Got me some, you?"

"Enough. Could not really sleep last night. Too many loud thoughts from unfamiliar minds in too close proximity. I had managed to block them after a while, so I had adequate rest for our task today."

He smiled while he continued ta wash tha vegetables. Secretly, he loved tha way she talked.

"Good. 'Cause this ain't my job. I'll supervise, you do tha work."

Closing the gap between them, the young genius/cook hugged him from behind.

"I will need instruction in the more practical aspects of the meal. Such as 'mixin' tha fixin's' in our large bowl." She mimicked Jayne's voice perfectly.

Task done and laughin' despite himself, he turned around and hugged her properly.

"What am I gonna do with ya, baby girl?" he asked as he looked inta her eyes.

"Teach me the culinary arts." she replied with a straight face.

Kissin' tha top of her head, he then pushed her away gently.

"Then go get what we need woman!" he ordered.

This was no time fer debriefing tha last twenty four hours, fer makin' plans on lightly coercin' the Cap'n inta lettin' her be a spare gun hand, or any other _go se._

This was time fer just tha two a them to enjoy each other's company, ta get just that little bit closer, and maybe let them possibly inappropriate feelin's escape, just a mite, and just fer a bit.

The clarity of thought in River's mind brought forward by Jayne's touch cemented her desires and her resolve to capture the heart of _Serenity's _Head of Security.

The resolve said Head a Security felt about tha inappropriate nature of any romantical feelin's he mighta felt fer the beautiful _jingling _weakened, eva so slightly, yet again, at the electric touch of tha young woman.

It were a very interestin' lesson indeed.

The Crew even got a decent meal outta it.

**Common Room – After Cargo Arrival**

The Crew had enjoyed a fantastic meal a fresh, real food, cooked up and served ta them by River and Jayne. All were in good spirits, especially the Cap'n, despite his wounds. He'd "saved" Inara's honor, stuck one up Badger's _pi gu _and had gotten a nice payin' job outta it all.

Nice payin', sure. Nice smellin'? Not so much. Turned out tha cargo was live cattle. Noisy, smelly, _huge _cows, not the usual goods that were transported in the cargo bay of tha old Class 3 Firefly.

When they arrived, everyone, even the Cap'n, were shocked. This was not the kinda goods he was used ta seein'. _Jingling _was especially freaked, and was currently hidin' in her room. The Doc pointed out they ain't been around too many live animals, especially huge ones that got et.

Jayne had ta laugh. He'd worked with livestock afore, weren't no big deal ta him. Still, the cargo bay was currently jammed full a cows, and that made it a dangerous place. With Mal's permission, he'd declared the whole area off limits to all Crew and passengers.

After the bovine's were secured, as best they could be, Mal had decided it _was _time for a debrief. Whilst he was waitin' overnight for his duel, he'd forwarded instructions ta tha Crew via Lil Kaylee that they weren't ta do anythin'. The duel would be won and he'd be back lickety split.

Still, he was kinda disappointed they didn't try and wanted ta know why. Mal often said one thing and meant another, and was partial ta havin' his cake and eatin' it too.

Currently he had his First Mate and Head a Security at tha table with him and he wanted answers.

"First off, Jayne, how did those _hun dun's _get on board my boat?"

"It were just Badger, at first. I had him dead ta rights, too. Then his goon's show up holdin' Lil Kaylee hostage, and that was that."

"Zo?"

"Yes Sir, that's how it went. Once his men showed up with Kaylee, I decided no point in tryin' ta take them on, Kaylee woulda been hurt for sure."

"And no time after that did ya even _try _ta get my boat back offa them?"

Jayne debated with hisself whether he should tell Mal about River's diversion attempt. Decidin' he would, Zoe would prolly spill tha beans anyway, and he wanted ta control the tale tellin'.

"There was one attempt Mal, sorta, but we blew it. I blew it."

"Sorta? Blew it? What happened?" Mal was mad again.

Before Zoe could interrupt, Jayne continued.

"It were the girl, River."

Mal raised an eyebrow.

"Doc's sister? Whatchya mean. What the gorram hell did she do? Did she go _feng le _or somethin'?"

Jayne quashed his own anger at Mal assumin', straight away, that tha girl was at fault. Wouldn't help none ta pound on that Cap'n, him bein' injured n' all.

"No, _Cap'n. _Ya done got it wrong, and tha girl did nothin' wrong neither. In fact, she did _right. _We was so shocked we was the ones who done wrong."

The Browncoat was now all manner a confused and said so.

This time, Zoe did interrupt.

"Sir, we needed a diversion. We were discussin' what to do.." Jayne snickered at that, "when the girl waltzed in, as large as life, and took Badger to task, verbal like. She copied his accent, perfectly."

"She does that ta me, all tha time. I shoulda known." Jayne supplied.

"Anyways, Badger and his men were so occupied with her performance Sir," Zoe continued, "that we coulda jumped 'em. Trouble was, so was we. So we missed our chance,"

"So Jayne, ya said ya knew she could copy accents?"

"Sure Mal, didn't think she'd waltz right in and give us tha diversion we needed though."

"Needed. How did she know what was happenin' and what was needed?"

Uh oh Jayne thought.

"She's real good at sneakin' around, bein' so small and all, bet she was hidin' just the other side of tha door listening ta what we was sayin'".

It was weak, but it was all he had.

And Cap'n didn't seem too convinced by tha answer, but he had no other explanation his ownself.

"Really?" was all he said.

"Sure Cap'n. Mal, the girl's a gorram genius." he was gonna try and redirected tha conversation. "She can think on her feet, quick like, and brave too. Came in at Badger and his idiots like she owned tha place, no fear. And we use her as a cook…"

"What are ya sayin' Jayne?" Mal asked, sufficiently redirected and actually intrigued.

"Cap'n, she don't mind the cookin' none." Jayne smiled, mostly ta himself. She loved cookin' lessons though. As did he, he admitted. "But I reckon she'd be all kinds of useful on jobs as well. With attention focused on her, we can have tha upper hand. She's brave, smart, and.."

"Jobs, Jayne?" Mal interrupted. "Jobs is dangerous, how many times I been shot?" Zoe and Jayne exchanged a look. "No, I don't think so."

"But Cap'n, she's quick, and no one lookin' at her is gonna see a threat."

"No Jayne, she's got a job, as cook. Anyways, why you so eager ta get her on jobs? Ya _want _her ta get shot, or worse. Is that it?"

The big man was taken aback. How could tha Cap'n think that?

A 'course not Mal! Whatchya take me fer?" He took a deep breath. "Cap'n, at least let me teach her how ta shoot, like tha others? Ya may not want her getting' inta trouble, but trouble can always come ta us. Just look at that _Feh feh pi gu _Badger."

He was teachin' her how ta anyways, would be a sight better if'n he didn't have ta hide it. And maybe, if Mal sure how good she could be, he'd change his mind about jobs. Jayne _knew, _in his bones, that she be good at it.

Mal was pensive for a moment. Not everyone on his ship carried a weapon, but they could if they wanted. They at least had a chance ta protect themselves. Tha girl had ta rely on others, always. She had her _feng le _days, but not often, and getting' less frequent, and anyways, who didn't have off days?

"OK, but not until _after _this job is done. Don't want no gorram cows with holes in 'em. But nothin' big mind. Self defense, only. And if she goes _feng le." _He said as he tapped his head_, "_you get ta take it from her. And if she shoots ya when ya try, tough luck, _dong ma?"_

"Sure, Mal, and thanks."

The Cap'n looked at his Head a Security thoughtfully, wonderin' why he cared so much about tha tiny woman. Well, it was workin' out well for him and his boat, upgraded gun hands and cooks and all, so he'd just keep his eye on tha situation fer now and see what happened down tha track.

The Browncoat Captain was sure it would all work out okay.

A/N Next up, re-imagined "Safe". It's going to be full of Rainey goodness.

Chinese:

_Jingling - Pixie_

_Hun dun - Jerk_

_Ba__o hu zhe - Protector_

_Dong ma? – Understand?_

_Go se - Crap_

_Wun gwo pee – Smelled a fart_

_Pi gu - Butt_

_M__ei mei – Little Sister_

_Ge ge - Big Brother_

_Chengnuo duanlu qi – Breaker of promises_

_F__eng le - Crazy_

_Wo dong - Understood_

_Ching-wah tsao duh liou mahng – Frog humping SOB_

_Feh feh pi gu – Baboon's butt crack_


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 11 - Safe**

**A/N: Sorry, but it's a very long Chapter. I've tried my best to proof read it and correct any errors. I may have missed one or two. Apologies.**

**Enroute to Jiangyin – Red Sun Border System – 24 September 2517**

River popped up from behind the sofa. Simon couldn't see her, he had his back to her, and in any event he was busy with homework. Simon's homework was of no consequence to the six year old girl, she wanted to play.

"We're in trouble. We got cut off!" she cried as she ducked back behind the sofa.

"Cut off from what?" Simon asked as he continued to concentrate on his homework.

His little sister gave him her best 'boob' look as she climbed onto the sofa next to him.

"Our platoon, Simon. We got outflanked by the independent squad, and we're never going to make it back to our platoon." She looked at him earnestly. "We need to resort to cannibalism."

"That was fast. Don't we have any rations or anything?" he asked absentmindedly as he tapped away on his pad.

"They got lost. We're going to have to eat the men."

That finally got his attention, however he was annoyed at the continuing interruptions.

"Aren't you supposed to be practicing for your dance recital?"

"I learnt it all." The girl simply replied. "That's wrong." She said as she pointed to the eleven year old Simon's pad.

"It's from the book, River."

"No, the book is wrong." She replied. "This whole conclusion is fallacious."

Simon knew when he was defeated. He put his homework away and decided to humor his _mei mei._

"So…how'd the independents cut us off?" he asked as her turned to her, smiling.

"They were using dinosaurs!" declared the young girl.

Her _ge ge _looked at her, incredulous.

"What are we going to do!" he mock panicked.

"Don't worry _ge ge,_ _Ba__o hu zhe_ will save us_."_

River woke up, smiling. It had been a nice dream. Simpler times. And she was sure her _Ba__o hu zhe _would come to save her, always_. _A warmth spread through her belly as she thought of Jayne. The big man's resistance was crumbling, of that she was sure; the young woman could feel that today was going to be a very good day indeed.

**Later That Morning**

Wash expertly piloted _Serenity _to a perfect landing, as usual. The Captain had decided to land the Firefly in a secluded area not far from one of the numerous towns and settlements that dotted this area of Jiangyin.

The arrival of the old mid bulk was not unnoticed, however.

The three Stark brothers were out huntin', and although it was rabbits they had caught, that weren't tha only thing they was after.

"You see that?" the eldest, Jacob, said to his two younger brothers as he motioned to _Serenity _with his knife. "Fancy vessel such as that don't land here 'less they got somethin' ta sell. And if it's somethin' we need…" he started as he ripped the skin off one of the hangin' rabbits, "we take it!"

_**Serenity – **_**After Landing**

The ramp was down and it was finally time ta get rid a these gorram cows. _Serenity's _Head a Security was also, for taday only, _Serenity's _Head Cattle Wrangler.

Herding tha last a them outta the cargo bay, he had ta laugh as the Doc, who was tryin' ever so hard to step around the cow pies, was spooked by one a tha cows and stumbled inta some Grade A cow_ go se._

"Bout time ya broke in them pretty shoes Doc!"

Said Doc was not amused and decided to ignore the ape man gone wrong.

"Yah! Get along!" Jayne cried as he smacked tha flank a one a tha cows.

Cap'n was amused, his ownself.

"Ya know, they walk just as easy if ya lead 'em."

"It's faster that way Mal. Besides, I like smackin' 'em!" Jayne smirked as he followed the last one inta the corral.

He'd just finished herdin' them down inta the main corral when he spotted tha _jingling, _sittin' on the ground starin' at one a the cows, who seemed ta be fair starin' back.

River was fascinated by the cow. Growing up, they weren't allowed to go near live animals of this size.

"Little soul, big world. Eat, sleep, and eat….many souls…"

Jayne smiled. Tha young woman looked happy, which was good enough reason ta be a mite happy his ownself.

The Cap'n had also noticed and had mosied on over.

"Cattle on tha ship three weeks," he said, turnin' ta Jayne, "she don't go near 'em. Suddenly we're on Jiangyin and she's got a drivin' need ta commune with tha beasts?"

_Serenity's _Head Wrangler was about ta answer when tha young woman in question piped up.

"They weren't cows inside. They were waiting to be free, but they forgot. Now they see the sky and they remember what they are." River closed her eyes and leaned back, letting the sun warm her face.

It was a powerful pretty sight, and Jayne had ta resist the urge ta go and tell her so.

The Cap'n, meanwhile, shook his head and smiled.

"Is it bad what she said made perfect sense ta me?"

Jayne shook his head in reply, still thinkin' on how beautiful River looked with the sun reflectin' off her face. Damn if he didn't hafta to stifle a gulp.

"C'mon now. Let's get ya clear of tha work." Mal said as he advanced on River.

The Cap'n didn't make two steps afore a whiny voice interrupted his progress.

"What's going on? What are you doing?"

It were the Doc.

"I'm fixin' ta do some business. Can't be herdin' these steers and your sister, too."

"Aw c'mon Mal." Jayne started, "she ain't doin' no harm."

The Browncoat was not happy at bein' assaulted from two sides.

"I never figured she did. But when a man engages in clandestine dealin's, he has a preference for things bein' smooth."

"Right." Simon replied, "I'm very sorry if she tipped off anyone about your cunningly concealed herd of cows…"

The Cap'n was angry, but damned if Tha Doc don't hold his ground thought Jayne.

Mal began ta walk Simon away from tha corral, he had some slightly illegal business ta do and didn't need the ships' medic and cook in tha way.

"I'm startin' ta think ya got a little too much time on your hands, doctor. I think I got a notion regarding' that. Inara and Kaylee have gone ta town for a look see, how about ya take ya sister for a little walk and join 'em?"

"A walk? It's probably best we stay close. Alliance has us marked as fugitives, after all."

Mal was unconvinced.

"Closest Alliance ship is the cruiser _Magellan, _hours out from here. And I promise you, they ain't comin' to a backwater like Jiangyin."

Jayne weren't so sure it was a good idea.

"Ya sure, Cap'n? We ain't never done business here afore."

For once, Simon agreed with the ape man.

"I agree, I'm not sure it's such a wise suggestion."

The Browncoat Cap'n had had enough.

"Might not wanna mistake it for a suggestion. Don't worry, we won't leave without ya." He said over his shoulder as he turned and walked away.

Both Simon and Jayne shared a look of concern, but the Captain's orders were to be followed. He gathered his sister and they started off for the town, River turning and giving Jayne a quick smile, and getting a quick wink in return.

It had been a while since she had left the ship, much less gone anywhere. And while she wished her _Ba__o hu zhe _could escort her, there were no clear threats forming in her mind, so she was sure she'd be safe with _ge ge. _

It was a decent walk for the pair, and Simon wasn't sure, exactly, where he was going. His sister, did, however, and she subtly guided them to where they would find Kaylee and Inara.

_Serenity's _mechanic and Registered Companion were currently located in a run down general store. Perhaps that was not quite fair, the whole town was fairly low quality for a Border Planet, so the general store was no worse than most.

Her _ge ge _bantered, badly, with Kaylee while Inara watched on. Quickly bored with that, the young women let her body wander the store, followed by her mind which she allowed to wander the local area.

Touching upon an abundance of delight, the girl's mind discovered something very interesting. Time to ditch _ge ge _and his awkward attempts at flirting and find something interesting to do.

Without actually sneaking out, the young woman nevertheless left the shop unobserved and headed towards something she was sure would be more interesting.

Well, that went well Simon thought sarcastically. He was quite taken with the young mechanic of the Firefly, but could not seem to do more than place his foot firmly in his mouth which each attempt to flirt with her.

Turning to see River, he was surprised when he did not.

"River?"

**Main Corral – Same Time**

The Grange brothers had arrived ta do tha deal. The Cap'n sauntered down from _Serenity _ta begin tha haggling process.

"Mornin' gentlemen. Ya must be tha Grange brothers. Hope you're in tha mood for beefsteak."

Jayne had his own role ta play in tha process.

"Attractive animals, ain't they?"

The older of the two Grange Brothers looked over the steers as he replied.

"T'ain't well fed. Scrawny."

Mal was unimpressed, and said so.

"_Fei hua. _Milk and hay, three times a day. Fed ta 'em by beautiful women."

_Serenity's _Head of Security was impressed as he remembered tha truth ta that.

"That was somethin' ta see!"

The hagglin' process continued. The askin' price was 30 per head. Grange Brothers wanted ta pay 20. Mal would be happy ta meet them at 25.

**Nearby Town**

River followed her mind's eye towards the source of her interest. It took her down and across the street, and she entered an alley just as Simon exited the general store.

He thought he caught a glimpse of her red sweater, but before he could pursue a veritable horde of local lawman approached him. Not able to follow his _mei mei, _and unable to run in any other direction less he seem exactly like what he was, on the run from the law, all he could do was wait it out until they passed.

Five strong, the local law came right at Simon, only to head into the general store Simon had just vacated.

The young Doctor was confident enough to give them a "Morning Officers!" as they passed, getting a hat tip from the last in line. Once they all passed, Simon bolted after his sister.

The alleys twisted and turned, and it was quite a while before he thought he found the right way.

**Main Corral**

The hagglin' process was almost complete. At one stage tha Grange Brothers had threatened ta walk away, but some harsh words from the Cap'n, and some harsh _looks _from tha Head a Security, had swayed them, and tha price was agreed at 25 per steer.

As the eldest of tha Grange's was handin' over tha cashy money, a stern voice rang out.

"Marcus and Nathaniel Grange! You are wanted in connection to the illegal killing of Rance Durbin. You are bound by law to stand down!"

The five lawman rushed out towards the Grange Brothers, and the two men of _Serenity, _guns drawn.

With no choice, Mal and Jayne raised their hands in surrender.

"Ya know," Mal started, "I'm startin' ta find this whole planet very uninvitin'."

"Yeah." Jayne simply replied through gritted teeth.

**Town**

The Doctor stumbled down the dimly lit alleyway towards the light at the end, hoping this one would be the one that lead him to his _mei mei._

Looking out through the worn out empty sacks serving as a covering, he was indeed happy to see his sister was here, and immediately he could see what had drawn her here.

A stage had been set up in a greened, open area, musicians were playing lively music whilst people danced, watched by others perhaps awaiting their turn.

Simon decided to wait at the end of the alley and see what developed.

The music had indeed been the reason for River's interest. Everyone was so happy, and the music was simple but energetic, as was the dancing. Yes, this was something she could do while _Ba__o hu zhe _and The Captain completed their somewhat illegal business transaction.

The former junior ballerina listened to the beat, counted the steps, and as a large smile formed on her face she spun around and moved into the dance.

She was aware of her _ge ge _watching and it pleased her to see the smile that had also spread across his face.

**Main Corral**

_Serenity's _Captain and Head a Security were in a right pickle. They'd been disarmed by tha local law and were in danger a bein' hauled away.

The Sheriff dropped Jayne's gunbelt onto the ground with no respect.

"Aww, careful with that!" he grumped.

"It appears we have ourselves a situation." Mal whispered ta Jayne.

Tha Sheriff stormed over and got inta Mal's personal space.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"Just a bystander." Cap'n was playin' it real cool like.

"This your beef?"

"No Sir," The Cap'n started, "you're lookin' at tha proper owners right there." He finished as he pointed ta tha Grange Brothers.

"Mm-hmm." said the Sheriff, turnin' ta tha Grange Brothers. "I'd like to see some papers on that cattle."

Suddenly, Granger the Younger grabed a pistol off one a tha deputies, punchin' him ta the ground as he did it. He leveled the stolen pistol at the Sheriff but before he could fire the pistol was shot outta his hand by Zoe, who had taken a position in overwatch high on the hill near the old Firefly.

Older Granger, not ta be outdone, pulled a hidden pistol from his boot and began ta fire wildly.

Bullets were flyin' everywhere by this stage as chaos ensued.

_Serenity's _duo, still unarmed, dropped ta the ground and started ta crawl towards their own weapons – and the cashy money dropped earlier by Older Granger.

"Here we go." Jayne remarked as he reached for _Boo._

The Cap'n was more angry at the typical turn of events.

"Never goes smooth. How come it _never _goes smooth?"

**Town**

River could feel some anxiety from _Ba__o hu zhe _over their tenuous mental link, but there was a large amount of amusement there also, so the young woman continued to dance, sure that Jayne would be able to handle what was, for them, a routine transaction.

Spinning and twirling, it had been a long time since she had felt so comfortable in public, allowing herself to be completely immersed in the dance.

The music was being played faster and faster, and she twirled and spun in time to match. It was exhilarating.

**Main Corral**

Jayne had had enough of this _go se. _

His job was ta defend tha ship and everythin' and everyone on it. Time this fight was ended, right quick.

Leavin' the Cap'n in relative safety with the cashy money, Jayne crawled around tha corral slowly, finally getting' in a position somewhat behind the ruttin' Grange Brothers.

It was a dangerous place ta be, what with the gorram Law shooting at 'em from all angles, but enough was more than enough.

One of tha Brothers went down, tha big man didn't care which one, so that left him an openin'. He launched himself at tha other Grange Brother, tacklin' him ta the ground.

The Sheriff and his Deputies then converged on the now hapless Grange Brothers.

Doin' a head check whilst the gorram Grange's were bein' arrested, Jayne came up one short.

The Cap'n had come ta tha same conclusion, and as he and Jayne muscled their way past tha lawmen they saw a harrowin' sight.

Book was down, hit in tha upper shoulder, a large amount a blood had already pooled under Tha Shepherd.

_Serenity's _Cap'n, and Head a Security, were stunned.

**Town**

The young psychic was continuing to dance merrily when a massive wave of distress came over the link with _Ba__o hu zhe. _Someone had been badly injured! Thankfully not Jayne, and as her steps faltered she concentrated on her link to try and get more information.

No, not _Ba__o hu zhe, _but the Man With the Book of Lies. Shepherd Book.

_Simon! _They would need _ge ge _or The Shepherd may die.

Still standing by the entrance to the dark alleyway, Simon was disappointed to see his sister's steps waver, fearing that she was about to have an episode.

Before he was able to go to her, he was grabbed from behind and pulled back into the shadowy alley. Unable to escape or offer any meaningful resistance, his humiliation was complete when a Hessian back was roughly placed over his head.

River was once again hit by a substantial feeling of misery, this one much closer. That could only be _ge ge!_

Turning to where she knew he would be, she was shocked to see that he was missing. Now completely confused, afraid, and alone, she stumbled off the stage and wandered off in a daze, the twin assault of negative waves from _Ba__o hu zhe _and _ge ge _completely overloading her still fragile mind.

**Main Corral**

Shepherd Book lie gravely wounded on tha ground, and it seemed tha Lawmen didn't care none. They was only interested in tha Grange Brothers, not in them that helped 'em be caught.

"Jayne, get a stretcher!" the Cap'n ordered.

It weren't far ta the old Firelfy, and Jayne was back with tha stretcher inside a

few short minutes, Mal doin' as best he could ta slow the bleedin' some.

When the big man returned, they carefully loaded Book onta tha stretcher and got him back ta tha ship, quick like. Meeting Lil Kaylee on tha way in.

"What's goin' on?" she cheerfully asked. Her face fell as she saw the state of tha Shepherd. "Oh my God! Shepherd? Shepherd, can ya here me?"

Tha two men, with Zoe in trail, rushed past tha young mechanic and headed straight for tha Infirmary. As they carefully laid Book onta tha examination table, Jayne was mighty worried.

"Don't look good." He told his Cap'n.

The Browncoat didn't reply as he headed for tha intercom, he needed Wash.

"Wash, get down ta the Infirmary _Ma shong!" _he ordered, and then turned ta Zoe and Jayne. "We gotta try and stop this bleedin',"

Zoe cut off Book's shirt as Mal ran ta his bunk ta get the drug bag. When he got back The Shepherd weren't breathin'. Maybe they was too late.

The Preacher's back suddenly arched as he went inta convulsions, Jayne held him down while Zoe and Mal injected him with a smoother.

"He ain't dead," The Cap'n began, "but he is bad off. Now we gotta see what we can do ta help him."

Wash was shocked as he entered the Infirmary, for once his quick wit had abandoned him.

Mal was glad Wash had come so quick, there was a vital errand that needed runnin'.

"Wash, I want ya ta go ta town. Take tha Mule. See if ya can't find that _sha gwa _of aDoctor."

Not needing any further motivation, the pilot rushed off to do his best to find the young Doctor.

**Forest Not Far From Town**

Led roughly by the three Stark Brothers, the young Doctor in question stumbled through the forest, unsure of what was going on, but knowing he was outnumbered and that resistance was futile.

"Faster!" the eldest, Jacob ordered his two brothers. "Want ta get ta the wagon and be back there 'fore dark."

"Get where?" Simon asked, getting no reply. "Where are we going!" He was sure he had been captured by men who would turn him in to the Alliance.

"Shut up!" Jacob ordered.

Simon, as usual, had trouble taking orders.

"If it's ransom you want, I…..I can arrange something."

"No talking!" the kid just didn't get it.

"Look, you don't understand." Simon continued, "My sister…"

Tha middle Stark, Liam, had had enough of tha too talkative young doctor, and fair punched him in tha face, sendin' the pansy ass spralin' ta tha ground.

**Edge of the Forest – Earlier**

River had stumbled off the stage in a daze, soon finding herself on the edge of a forest. Tripping over a fallen branch, she landed on her petite behind with a thud. The jolt of pain knocked her out of her stupor, and she took a few moments to regain some semblance of cohesive thought.

She was on the edge of a forest, alone. There was an emergency on the ship, Book was seriously injured and Simon was required. Unfortunately, _ge ge _had been taken. Alliance? The young woman shivered at the thought. Concentrating her mind she could find no sign of any Alliance personnel.

So, not Alliance, but taken nonetheless. The priority was to find him and return to the ship to save the Shepherd. Almost wishing her Academy battle training was not disabled as it had been by the entrance of _Ba__o hu zhe _into her life, she dismissed the thought immediately. _That _she would not change for anything.

That just left her emerging gun hand skills…..however she had not been able to take _Ingrid _off the ship. _Ba__o hu zhe _had decided, and she had agreed, that as the Captain had acquiesced and would allow weapons training _after _the illegal transaction had been completed, that they would not risk his ire by a potential discovery of the small gun on her person. So it remained on the Type 3 mid bulk transport. Not optimal, even empty she could have used it to effect an escape, perhaps.

Finding _ge ge _would be easy enough. Perhaps combined they would have a better overall chance at escape? Opening her mind, she quickly located Simon's direction of travel and calculated an intercept course.

It wasn't too long before they crossed paths, nevertheless the young psychic was tired, both mentally and physically.

Simon was horrified to see his _mei mei _appear on the rough trail directly in front of him.

"No. Oh, no." he cried as he broke free from the Stark brothers and raced to his sister, with all three brothers in hot pursuit.

"Get 'im!" Jacob yelled.

"River! No run!"

"Found you!" his _mei mei _replied, too spent to do anything else.

"GO!"

But it was to no avail. Soon the three Stark brothers had nabbed both _Serenity's _medic, and her cook.

"Bring her!" the eldest directed, as they set off again for their hidden wagon.

_**Serenity **_**Cargo Bay – Same Time**

Kaylee was surprised when Wash came steamin' inta the cargo bay on the Mule, all alone.

"Where's the Doctor? Why ain't he with ya?"

Wash shook his head as he got off the Mule.

"He wasn't in town. Wasn't anywhere."

"He _was _in town." The mechanic replied. "Him and River was with us. I can show you…"

"Town's not that big, Kaylee." The little man interrupted. "Believe me when I say he wasn't there."

"What about tha girl?' Jayne asked as he looked up.

"No sign of her either."

Jayne was immediately worried. He knew it weren't a good idea to send tha two Tam's off alone. Well, they was supposed ta stay with Kaylee and Inara, but it seemed the Doc had yet again made an ass a himself, and Lil Kaylee had stormed off. What she saw in that _hun dun _was beyond him.

He tuned back in as he heard Wash's theory.

"Looks like maybe they got snatched."

"Kidnapped?" Inara asked.

"I went by the Sherrif's office." Wash explained. "Seems settlers in the hills take people sometimes. Usually tradesmen and the like."

The Cap'n was thoughtful.

"And know they got themselves a doctor….and we don't. We're goin'…" Mal said as he went ta lock the cargo bay door.

Kaylee was stunned. In fact Jayne wasn't too far behind his ownself.

"What are you doing?" she yelled at her Cap'n. "What about Simon and River?"

"Forget them." The Capn's mind was made up. "We already lost two people today. If I can help it, we won't lose a third."

"Cap'n?" Jayne said as he took Mal's arm. "We can't leave those two here alone. Wouldn't last a day even if they ain't been takin' by hill folk already."

Mal shook his arm free.

"Are you volunteerin' ta go find 'em?"

The Head a Security looked tha Cap'n fair in tha eye.

"I am." he simply said.

"Alright." Tha Browncoat said, a little taken aback at tha answer he received. Truth be told, it weren't what he was expectin' ta hear. But on a few seconds reflection, maybe it was. "Alright." He repeated, louder this time. "We're leavin' ta get help, in one minute. Grab what ya can, and then git. Find 'em, and keep 'em safe until we return, _dong ma?"_

"Yes Cap'n" Jayne replied as he ran ta tha closest supply locker. He need ta travel light, so no extra weaponry. Bed roll, blanket, and couple a canteens, Jayne grabbed his jacket and with one last nod at Mal he was out tha cargo bay door and gone.

_Serenity's _Captain watched him go for a few moments, before turnin' ta tha little pilot an orderin' Wash ta get the bird inta the air.

**Forest**

The Stark's continued to drive the Tam's forward, to parts unknown.

"We're lost." River stated. "Lost in the woods."

"It's going to be ok." Simon replied. "They'll find us. Once the Captain realizes what happened, they'll come."

Suddenly, a large roar could be heard in the distance, and soon after an old Firefly Type 3 mid bulk, _Serenity _herself, appeared in the sky clearly heading for The Black.

The Stark's were amused by the sight.

"See there?" Jacob said as he patted Simon on tha shoulder. "No one's comin' for ya. Ya just keep movin'."

Simon was bewildered as the ship rose quickly into the air, and was more so when he turned to his _mei mei _to see a large smile spreading across her face.

"Don't worry _ge ge." _the young woman whispered. "_Ba__o hu zhe_ will save us_."_

_**Serenity**_** – Bridge – Four Hours Later**

There had been much discussion on where ta take Tha Shepherd for tha urgent medical help he needed. All options were too far – except one.

On the Bridge of the old Firefly, the pilot was feeling apprehensive.

"You sure this is where you wanna be?" he asked his Captain.

"Oh, I'm fairly certain it ain't." Mal replied as he looked out tha window at a sight that was becomin' all too familiar as of late.

The former Independent had come ta tha closest place he was sure medical help of tha right kind would be located – the Alliance Cruiser _Magellan._

It stuck in his craw somethin' fierce that he had ta come here, but he had no choice. Shepherd was a good man and deserved a chance at stayin' livin'.

"Be sure to ask nicely." he told Wash.

Shaking his head, Wash activated the comm..

"Alliance Cruiser _Magellan, _this is Firefly Transport _Serenity, _requesting permission for docking."

The response was immediate.

"Firefly Transport _Serenity, _stand by for docking orders."

Once they had docked the Purplebellies wasted no time boarding the old Firefly. They were none too friendly, and didn't seem interested at all in helping care for the Shepherd. That is, until the gravely injured Shepherd weakly, but firmly, demanded the Alliance Officer scan his ID card.

Once that was done, their attitude turned completely around. They rushed The Shepherd aboard the massive Cruiser, straight to their Sick Bay where they expertly began the process of saving the man of God.

Mal was perplexed at tha sudden turn around. He was right creepafied, truth be told. Seems there was more ta Book than tha old Shepherd let on. Well, they'd be words ta be had once tha man was recovered enough to hear 'em.

**Jiangyin – Late Afternoon**

After a relatively short walk in which River had made herself busy, the Stark's bundled the Tam's into a wagon they had hidden. It was a long journey, several hours, and as the sun dropped low into the horizon they came upon a fairly decent sized community.

The wagon slowed as it entered the main square and was soon surrounded by the townsfolk.

"Look what we got!" Jacob Stark yelled. "Got ourselves a doctor. A _real _doctor! Stand up straight." he ordered a shocked Simon.

This was not what the young medico was expecting at all. What he was expecting was to be handed over to the Alliance, and he was relieved that this didn't appear to be the case. But he was appalled that he had apparently been kidnapped by "hill folk" to become their new doctor. Literally lost for words the fancy Core doctor could only stare at the collection of dirty townsfolk staring at him.

River was still utterly unconcerned, and had decided to treat the whole experience as an adventure, at least for now.

**Jiangyin – Four Hours Earlier**

Jayne Cobb strode back inta tha small town with purpose. He thought of hisself as the best gorram tracker in the 'Verse, and was sure he'd find tha _jingling, _and her pansy ass bother, in no time flat.

A quick check of all tha likely places had, however, proven Wash right. There was no sign a them. Anywhere.

Well, he'd tried inconspicuous, time to pound on the townsfolk some until he got some answers.

Luckily he had a startin' place. Lil Kaylee had mentioned that tha last place she'd seen tha Tam's was tha general store. Tha old man who ran tha store didn't know much, just muttered somethin' about seein' the young Core man follow after his sister over yonder, down towards some dilapidated alleyways.

It was a lead, a sorts, and it wasn't long before Jayne thought he had tha right place, he could hear it plainly.

Music, and by the sounds a things, dancin'. Exactly tha kind a thing that would draw tha _jingling. _

A course ya just couldn't grab someone and pound on 'em until they talked. Least ya couldn't here. Not yet, anyways. Spyin' an old woman sittin' in tha shade out past tha band, he decided ta try his luck there. Old biddy would know everthin' that went on.

"Afternoon Maam." He said as he doffed his hat. "Mighty fine day for a shindig."

Tha old lady said nothin', just looked him up and down.

"I'm lookin' fer a young woman, and her fancy brother. Girl's about yay high," he said as he motioned with his hand, "with long brown hair and wearin' a red sweater. Ya seen her?"

"Mayhaps." Tha old lady finally said. "What's it to ya?"

"She's my girl." he automatically responded. "Gets confused at times and gets lost. Fancy guy is her brother, supposed ta look after her."

"I ain't sure if I seen her son." the old lady lied. She knew exactly who tha big man was askin' about, but who knows who he really was? "Why 'fore ya think she'd be here?"

Jayne motioned over ta the stage, where the dancin' was still in full swing.

"She loves ta dance. Figure she heard the music and mosied on over."

"She a good dancer then?"

"Yep, sure is!" Jayne couldn't keep tha pride outta his voice or tha smile off his face.

That, more than anythin', convinced tha old lady ta come clean.

"Ya know son, I think I did see her. She was a good dancer all right, kinda lost her way near the end and just plain stopped. Thought it was a bit weird."

"Yeah she does that." tha smile dropped from his face.

"She headed off over yonder," the old woman pointed towards tha forest, "didn't see no fancy Core man though."

Jayne's didn't really care none about the Doc. He'd find him after he had River safe.

"Much obliged." Jayne said as he doffed his hat again, then hurried tawards tha spot in tha forest tha old biddy had indicated.

It didn't take long ta pick up tha _jingling's _trail, the boots he'd got her on Persephone showed that clear enough. In fact he was disappointed. He thought he'd taught her better than this. Any idiot coulda followed this trail.

One pair a combat books were soon joined by signs a fancy shoes, and then right away three sets a other boots.

So looks like River, Pansy Ass Brother, and three hostiles.

Tha trail was even easier ta follow now, but somethin' twigged and his faith was restored in tha girl, and in his teachin'. It was fair clear that she was leavin' a deliberate trail for him ta follow, and she'd been busy. He didn't need it none, not really, but did make the trackin' a mite faster, truth be told.

His hopes were pretty high that he'd come across them soon, tha tells were pretty fresh after all. Well, hopes were made for dashin', and it appeared ta be the case here.

Tha trail led to what had clearly been where a wagon had been sittin'. It weren't here no more, a course, and it'd be mighty hard ta catch up with a wagon on foot.

Still, a wagon had ta stay mostly ta tha roads, such as they were, so should be easy ta follow.

The big man set off at his best speed, hopin' that it were gonna be fast enough.

After about an hour or so, he was getting' right angry. Trail was still there, but it seemed ta go on and on.

Soon after, he spied a homestead. A horse! That's what he needed. He was gonna beg, borrow, or steal hisself one, yessir!

Hopes were dashed yet again as he got closer ta tha homestead. Abandoned.

Now downright ornery, he cussed and was about ta hit tha trail again when he caught sight of a ….. bicycle. Abandoned it's ownself, it would have ta do. Only it weren't no full size bi-cycle, it were fer youngun's, by tha looks.

Jayne decided then and there he didn't care none about looks, he had ta get ta …his girl…quick like.

So lookin ri-diculous, he took off in pursuit on his newly acquired, previously abandoned, bi-cycle made fer youngun's.

**Hill Folk Village – Late Afternoon**

The Doctor and the Cook had spent about an hour with the Patron of the Village. He'd asked them many questions, more on their capabilities than anything else, and once he was satisfied they were shown to their new lodgings.

"In here." Jacob Stark said as he led the Tam's into the makeshift hospital. "I don't figure it's as fancy as you're used to, but it's what we got."

Simon was horrified at what he saw. River was still unconcerned.

"I got you a doctor." Jacob called out, and what appeared to be a nurse straightened up and looked over.

"Oh, praise the Lord." She answered.

"Doralee here," Jacon began as he motioned ta the young black woman, "is a teacher and knows some nursin', she'll show ya what's what."

"What's your name?" she asked the Core doctor.

"Simon." River answered for him.

"Well, hello there. Who are you?" she asked the young woman.

"This is River." Simon now answered for her.

"She's the Doc's sister, and a cook. She'll be helpin' out in tha kitchen. I'll leave her here with ya'll and fetch her later when it's time ta help in tha kitchen." Jacob finished, turned and left, his job done for now.

"River, just, uh, sit down." Simon ordered as he guided his _mei mei _to a bench in the corner. With his sister seated and calm, for now, Simon turned his attention to Doralee. "Has there been, uh..is there a sickness here?"

"Nothing especially. Just people get sick or injured. Mostly people heal on their own, but sometimes…"

"Sometimes you need a doctor." Decision made, he took charge. "Bring me light, and any supplies you have."

About another hour or so had passed as Simon attended to the patients in his little "hospital".

There hadn't been anything of an urgent or serious nature, for which he was grateful, but still he provided the best care he could with what meager supplies they had.

He'd been so engrossed in his work that he had forgotten about River, for the most part. Turning to right that particular oversight, he panicked when he saw she was no longer in the room.

Rushing outside, he found her backed against the wall of the hospitable as one of the hill folk, who Simon recognized as the youngest Stark brother, Owen, tried to talk to her.

"Ya sure are pretty." He smirked at the young woman as he advanced further inta her personal space.

"Leave her alone!" Simon cried, but as he went to move towards his sister, he was held back by the middle Stark, Liam.

"Doctor, girl ya sister's age is a rare commodity round these parts. We need youngun's as much as anything else. My brother here, well he ain't got no woman. So we figures ya sister and him would make a mighty fine couple."

"You and me are gonna have some mighty fun times tagether." Owen continued, as he went ta grab the frightened younger Tam.

Helpless, Simon could only watch on as his sister….. smiled. A huge, genuine, grin. Simon was totally confused. Could she really be happy to be in this situation?

Owen took her smile as the green light ta continue, however as he grabbed tha young woman an almighty roar rang out as a giant came out of nowhere, knockin' both Stark brothers on their respective asses.

"GET YOUR RUTTIN' HANDS OFF MY…." Jayne Cobb yelled, well past angry and inta furious territory, but still faltered when it came ta describin' just what she was ta him.

"Wife." River supplied, and Jayne hungrily accepted the situation.

"…WIFE!" the giant finished, as he spun around ta cover his new wife with his bulk.

Owen had got over his original shock and got up, which was a mistake as Jayne grabbed him by the throat and fair lifted him off the ground. That only lasted a second or two as Jacob pulled out a pistol and cocked it.

"Drop him." Jacob ordered.

Jayne did exactly that, and roughly, Owen landin' in a heap and this time he stayed down.

The commotion had brought a passel a people over, includin' The Patron.

"Who is this?' he demanded.

"Seems ta be our new cooks husband." Jacob replied, still holdin' a gun on Jayne.

"Where did he come from?" The Patron asked.

Jayne Cobb weren't gonna let no hill folk _feh feh pi gu _boss him around, time ta take charge.

"Ya took what's mine. I came for it. And we're leavin'." As he took River's hand and went ta move, more guns were trained on him.

"No Son, this is your new home. We need a doctor, and an extra cook is always welcome. And you, would make an excellent laborer!" The Patron had decided what was to be.

Are these hill folk _feng le? _Just say somethin' and that makes it so? _Like sayin' ya got a wife _his brain helpfully supplied.

"Disarm him." The Patron ordered, Jacob Stark happy ta comply with his Patron's wishes.

Jayne was about to resist when River squeezed his hand. She knew they were outgunend and outmatched, for now. Better to play along. At least she and Simon were now safe, she was sure her new _Zhang fu _would be able to perform that duty admirably.

_Serenity's _Head a Security lost _Boo _and _Binky, _and he were none too pleased about that.

"I know it's hard to accept.' The Patron started. "But you three are needed here. In time you will see that I speak the truth. Jacob, escort the Doctor to his quarters and our new couple to theirs. They all have had a long day. We will bring you some food later, rest and tomorrow we will start the process of bringing you fully into our family."

Yep, definitely _feng le _Jayne thought as the three were led away ta start their new lives.

**Alliance Cruiser **_**Magellan – **_**Same Time**

The Alliance folk had been real nice, mostly, and had allowed The Cap'n and his First Mate ta observe tha procedure bein' performed on their Shepherd.

"So what do ya figure Sir?" Zoe asked as she turned ta Mal. "Shepherd's got some kinda connection to tha Alliance?"

"I know what it looks like. Still, it would surprise me if'n he did."

"See, that's my whole problem with pickin' up tourists." Zoe continued. "They ain't never what they claim to be."

Mal was thinkin' tha same thing his ownself.

"Seems like everyone's got a tale ta tell."

Soon enough, the surgeon came out and gave them the good news – Shepherd was most probably going to make a full recovery. He'd need a period of observation however.

Before Mal could clarify that, the _Magellan's _Commander entered Sick Bay.

"Doctor, I've received your report. Good work. How long do you think?"

"Three, maybe four days."

The two former Independants were confused.

"For the period of observation." The Alliance Doctor clarified.

The Cap'n was immediately relieved.

"Sure, we'll make real sure we keep a good eye on tha Shepherd."

His relief was short lived.

"I'm sorry Captain," The Alliance medico began, "the patient will need to remain under our observation for a minimum of three days. Most likely four."

"Well, we'll just continue our run and once we're done we'll come back and pick up our wayward Shepherd."

"I'm also sorry." Magellan's Commander interrupted as two of his men, fully armed, entered Sick Bay. "Your ship was a guest of Commander Harken of the _Majestic _not too long ago. He noted some irregularities in your paperwork, and in your ship for that matter. It appears he didn't have time for a thorough and proper inspection. Your ship and crew will remain with us until I am satisfied that all is above board. I'm sure my men will be able to complete their investigation in the three or four day observation period."

Mal and Zoe were shocked, but not really surprised. The ruttin' Alliance lived ta control all folk. There was a danger they'd try and exercise their control if _Serenity _came ta them for help. It seems they was bent on doin' just that.

The former Browncoat was happy they didn't have nothin' illegal onboard, whether it be goods or Tam's, so the Purplebellies could search but thankfully there was nothin' ta find.

A 'course now they weren't getting' back ta Jiangyin any time soon. He'd have ta trust his Head a Security had the situation in hand.

**Hill Folk Village – "Cobb House" **

"I don't see why you claimed my sister as your wife Jayne."

They'd told Simon ta wait here until they came fer 'im.

"Well Doc, it were her idea, and a good one at that. You," he jabbed a finger inta the Doc's chest, "where tha one who said she was ya sister. So _you _couldn't be her 'husband'. Or would ya rather one a tha hill folk had his paws on her right now?"

Jayne was getting' angry again, he was powerful hungry, he'd lost _Boo _and _Binky, _ and the idiot Doc's attitude weren't helpin' none.

Simon's reply was cut off by a knock on the door. Surprised that there were actual manners to be had here, he turned and opened the door. It was Doralee, hands full with pots of food.

"The Patron has allowed you all to take a meal together here for your first night." She said as she put the pots down on the kitchen table. "We usually eat together, and this will start tomorrow. I will come in one hour Doctor and escort you to your quarters."

The Doctor nodded his thanks as the 'nurse', and _her _armed escort, more likely _their _guard, turned and left.

"Grub!" Jayne rubbed his hands together and reached fer tha pot, only ta have his hand smacked away by his 'wife'.

"Manners, _zhang fu!" _River scowled. Go and wash up, you too Simon. I have already washed my hands. I will prepare the meal whilst you two wash yours."

The look on her face brooked no argument.

"Fine." They both grumped as they moved to do what they were told.

River smiled at the recalcitrant men. _Her _men. Humming as she set the food out, she was actually happy. The setting was non optimal, however she was going to be able to spend a considerable amount of time alone with a rather large, and rather handsome, Head of Security. There were worse ways to pass the time in this strangest of captivities.

Dinner passed in relative silence, each alone with their own thoughts. After dinner was cleared away, escape plans were discussed.

"Cap'n will find us eventually, mebbe tomorrow, so we'll just lay low and do as we's told until he comes for us. No trouble makin', _dong ma?" _he said, as much to hisself as the Tam's.

The hour expired, and right on time Doralee was back to take the Core doctor away.

"Look after her Jayne." He implored as he was forced to leave his sister in the care of the ape man gone wrong.

Jayne nodded, but it was River who answered.

"Jayne is a good _zhang fu, ge ge. _You need not worry." even though she knew that he would fret over her well being all night long.

Simon got a kiss on the cheek for his trouble as he was escorted away.

After he left, the 'married' couple took a moment to engage in a staring contest, as they often did. This time, River broke first, and quickly moved in to hug her 'husband'.

There were no losers in this game, only winners, and he enveloped her with his massive arms, resting his chin on top a her head.

"Well, I didn't expect tha day ta end like this." He said, and he could feel her noddin' inta his chest.

The young woman broke away slightly and smiled up at her 'husband'.

"Are you not pleased _zhang fu?"_

"No need ta call me that when no one can hear woman!" He complained with no heat. "I'm pleased ya safe, and I 'spose fer ya pansy ass brother too, but I ain't pleased we's stuck with these _feng le _hill folk."

"Things could be worse." She simply stated, and she was right.

"Seems we got a long day ahead a us tomorrow, and I'm beat, gonna turn in."

River nodded and yawned, excited at the prospect of 'sleeping' with Jayne, but also tired both mentally and physically.

They explored tha bedroom together, one smallish bed, wardrobe with an odd collection a clothes, and a bathroom attached. There was a water tank mounted high outside, so that provided some runnin' water. There was a basin, a small tub, and a septic tank toilet.

"Prepare for sleep _zhang fu, _I will need to change for bed." She pushed him into the bathroom, closed the door, and then selected a simple white nightie to sleep in.

Jayne soon returned, notin' that tha young woman was already in tha bed. He usually slept in just boxers, if anythin' at all, but tonight was different. It had ta be. He looked over the paltry clothes in the wardrobe, notin' that most of tha stuff wouldn't fit. There was an oversized shirt, well for a normal man anyways. It would kinda fit, sorta, and he took it inta the bathroom ta change. He rinsed his own shirt and pants while he was there, puttin' on tha shirt and keepin' his boxers on. Would have ta do.

"Hurry _zhang fu." _The _jingling _called, "the light is weakening and the atmosphere is cooling rapidly."

"Ok, ok, keep ya gorram shirt on woman!" he called back, instantly regrettin' his turn a phrase.

As he walked back inta the bedroom proper, he could see tha light was fadin' fast, but it sure made the _jingling _look like an angel.

Said Angel beamed a beautiful smile at him as she patted the bed next to her.

"Time for sleep cycle, _zhang fu."_

He gulped as he sat down on tha bed, then moved under tha covers.

"Now ya know we ain't really married right?"

She gave him her best 'boob' look.

"Must keep up appearances at all times. Must not be discovered that marriage is a fabrication. I _do not _wish to get friendly with the male denizens of this village."

Tha young woman had a fair point. They was prolly safe here, but ya never knew who could be spyin' at any time.

"Fine. But ya stay on your side of the bed and I stay on mine, _dong ma?"_

"_Wu dong, zhang fu."_

"Good." Jayne lay down and turned his back on tha young genius, and tried ta get some sleep.

River smiled at his back. Baby steps.

It was dark when Jayne woke, not sure how long he'd been sleepin'. He'd hogged the blankets, and he could he the _jingling's _teeth chatterin', and she was shiverin'.

"I am sorry to wake you _zhang fu. _I am very cold but I have stayed on my side of the bed as you asked."

Tha big man felt like the biggest _hun dun a_ all time.

Turnin' ta face her, tha way she looked made him feel even worse.

"C'mere" he said as he opened his arms. River immediately slid over the space between them and inta his arms. "Just ta keep ya warm. No funny business, _dong ma?"_

He could feel her noddin' inta his chest. Good.

It weren't long before they were both fast asleep, River safe, warm, and comfortable in the arms of the man she was sure she was beginning to love.

**Hill Folk Village – "Cobb House" - Next Morning Day 2**

Jayne woke with a start. Someone was bangin' on tha door. He didn't wanna move, he had an armful a _jingling _and it just felt right. She'd turned in tha night and he was spoonin' her, her hair smelt real nice…and she was warm and soft. Dang was she soft…..

He mentally shook his head, if he continued those thoughts part a hisself ain't gonna be soft fer too much longer.

And someone was bangin' on tha door.

Gently releasin' his 'wife', he stormed outta tha bedroom and wrenched open tha door.

"What?!" he demanded of the two folks standin' there. The ever present guard, a 'course, and a middle aged woman he hadn't seen a'fore.

"Well, that ain't welcomin'" she said. "Name's Keisha, I run tha kitchen. Your missus will be workin' for me. She's a cook. a'in't she?"

"Yeah, why 'fore ya bangin' on tha door though?"

"Time for getting' breakfast ready. She's gotta come now, start her day."

"The hell she is." Jayne replied, but before he could continue the petite cook gracefully sauntered out of the bedroom, all dressed and ready ta work.

"I am ready, _zhang fu. _Must perform my duties if I am to contribute to the community."

"Why she talk so funny?" Keisha asked. "She from the Core or somethin'?"

"Yeah, what of it?" Jayne crossed his arms in defiance. "Ya think the Core Doc's sis ain't gonna be from tha Core too?"

Keisha shook her head and grabbed River by the hand.

"Let's go little one, I'll show ya the ropes. Leave old grumpy guts here."

"I'm comin' with." Grumpy guts stated. "Need ta know where my woman is gonna be workin'. Besides, I a'int seen much a the place yet." Wouldn't hurt ta do a little recon.

"Suit yourself." Keisha said as she pulled River along. "Ya need ta see where ya gonna be workin' ya ownself anyway."

Jayne followed as Keisha led them ta the kitchen.

She gave River instructions on what to do. River didn't need them. What she didn't know already she'd just pull from Keisha's mind, but she played along.

After watchin' the process for a while, Jayne was satisfied with what he saw. Provided there weren't too many people around, and provided no one tried ta touch her, she shouldn't throw a fit.

River of course was using the now much stronger mental link she had with Jayne to keep an even keel. She would be fine as long as he was.

Breakfast was served as Jayne was introduced ta his new team mates. He'd be workin' on a team diggin'…septic pits.

"Even here I can't get away from septic duty." He grumbled ta hisself.

River was a cook, she didn't need to clean up. So once the meals were prepared and cooked, her job was done. She was told she could do whatever she wanted with her spare time, so she spent the rest of the day spilt between spending time with Simon, for which he was most agreeable, and watching Jayne work. How she loved to watch her _zhang fu _work!

No doubt other domestic duties would intrude on her time at some stage, but for today her card was full.

**Hill Folk Village – "Cobb House" – After Dinner**

They still had guards posted outside their house, as Simon did, but he was allowed to visit, again, for a short while before he had to return to his own quarters.

Jayne had spent tha day workin' hard, and wanted a bath. River said she would warm some water for him over the fire, it wouldn't be much but better than stone cold.

He'd also been spendin' the day on recon, memorizin' tha lay of tha land.

Simon was worried. There was no sign as yet of the others.

"I would have thought we would have seen the ship today."

"Well, that depends on how far they had ta go ta get help. Shepherd was in a mighty bad way, they would have gone ta the closest place."

Simon frowned at that. He should have been there to help.

"Greenleaf at the outside. That's ten hours from here at full burn. Dependin' on how long ta fix the Shepherd, call it 30 hours round trip max. Then they gotta find us. Should be tomorrow."

Jayne was pleased with his analysis, Simon was still worried.

"And if they don't come tomorrow?"

"Have faith _ge ge." _

"I do _mei mei, _I just want a plan in case they don't arrive." He also wanted ta get his _mei mei _away from the ape man, but curiously his sister didn't seem any worse for wear at all in being forced to spend her time with him.

"Well, Doc, we're in a right pickle there. I could easily escape, my ownself. Take the _jingling _here, prolly too. An extra cook is nice but ain't so important. So they might not bother ta come look fer us"

Simon nodded, not missing the pet name the ape man had for his _mei mei. Curious._

"But you, Doc, you is _real _important ta them. We could escape, easy enough, but every man and his dog would be out lookin' fer us. They know the area, we don't. They'll get us eventual like."

"So what do we do?"

"We wait. Mal I'll be along, I'm sure a it."

The Core Bred Pansy Ass nodded again, but wasn't sure at all. His escort arrived before anything else could be decided, it would have to wait until tomorrow.

Goodnights were said, and company was parted.

The bedtime routine fer River and Jayne was the same as last night, with one exception. There was none a this "my side your side" _go se. _They got inta the bed and immediately got comfortable in each others arms. Just ta keep warm a'course. They slept, soundly, both havin' the best night's sleep they could remember.

**Hill Folk Village – "Cobb House" - Day 3**

_Serenity's _trio spend their third day in hill folk captivity much like they had spent tha last two. Learnin' the ropes, bein' guarded most times, and tryin' ta keep as low a profile as possible. Kidnapped by the hill folk tha Tam's might been but they was still fugees from Tha Alliance.

All three had done a good days work, tha Patron noting how pleased he was with their performance so far. Jayne didn't care none what tha f_eh feh pi gu _Patron thought a their work, but it was important ta give tha impression that tha three a them were no trouble.

And that became more important as tha day wound down. The big man was sure Mal woulda been along taday, but _Serenity _hadn't made an appearance. To be sure, their best tracker was here, but even Mal shoulda been able ta find them by now, shouldn't he?

The mood around tha table was subdued. This was tha only time of tha day that all three could get together, but the worry had overpowered any attempts at decent conversation.

Jayne took it upon hisself ta be as positive as possible in fronta tha other two. Well, the young psychic could probably feel his concern, but tha Doc as usual had no idea.

"I would have thought the Captain would have been along today."

It was a statement, not a question, and Simon had said much the same thing yesterday.

"He'll be along Doc. It's gonna take 'ima mite longer seein' his best tracker is already here." He said with a smirk, and a wink ta the _jingling._

She smiled back, warmly. The little genius wasn't worried, in fact she was finding the whole experience, especially spending _quality _time with Jayne, very therapeutic. Her days were full, and despite the many strangers, she had the nights with Jane to look forward too, the building excitement of which quashed any worry she felt at their predicament.

"Yes, well, still." The Doctor would not let it go. "Tomorrow, do you think?" He must be getting desperate to want the ape man gone wrong's opinion.

"Mebbe. We'll do our part, that is try and fit in and lie low, and The Cap'n will do his. Just gotta wait is all."

Further conversation was cut short by tha arrival of Simon's escort, none too soon for Jayne. Little man was gettin' antsy which made Jayne a mite anxious his ownself.

He watched tha two siblings says their goodbye's and nodded ta the Core Doc as he left.

"_Ge ge _always worries. Worries too much, makes my head hurt." The psychic complained.

He couldn't help it, he let out a loud laugh, only to stop as the _jingling _gave him a stern look.

"Sorry baby girl, he's worryin' also makes me a mite antsy, my ownself." He said as he gathered her inta his arms. "I know I can't keep it from ya, truth be told I'm a mite worried about Mal. Shoulda seen him by now,"

"Now _you _should not worry, _zhang fu. _We are safe together and what happens will happen. I detect no genuine hatred or malice towards us from the villagers, only the young man who wanted me as his own harbors ill feelings, mainly that of jealousy. The Patron, for example, judges all of us to be worthy additions to the community. And his word is law."

Jayne kissed the top of her head.

"Just ta get this straight. You ain't worried, at all?"

"Not quite, _zhang fu. _I am worried The Captain _will_ find us and our time alone will be at an end."

He hugged her a bit tighter.

"_Serenity's _our home, baby girl. Not here, We gotta keep movin' ta keep ya safe from the Alliance, _dong ma?"_

"I understand, but when we go back to the ship, we go _back _to what we were."

"Mebbe. Mebbe not."

It was the first indication she had got that perhaps there had been a change in _Ba__o hu zhe's _attitude to a possible relationship_. _Not wanting this experience to end had been a selfish thought on her part, thinking that when they returned she would no longer get to sleep surrounded by the warmth of Jayne. Maybe this would not be so?

**Jiangyin – Hill Folk Village – "Cobb House" Day Four**

Turns out it was Sunday, tha day a rest. Well, Church first, then rest. Fer some. The kitchen still ran, a 'course, but tha older youngun's stepped up on Sunday's, and that allowed the kitchen staff ta only have ta work one meal. Weren't quite fair, but then again cooks had more free time then most during the rest a tha week anyhow.

River worked breakfast, which irked Jayne some as he wanted ta sleep in. No way he was gonna be sleepin' while his _jingling _worked, weren't right. So he hovered near the kitchen, lookin mean and fierce, just ta show everyone not ta try and take what was his.

Simon, a course, also had free time when doctorin' weren't required. Come ta think of it, Jayne hisself was tha only one a tha trio that worked hard all day long. Hard work didn't bother him none, though, but he was really gonna enjoy the day off, if he could.

Most a tha time, him and River could only spend a bit a time together durin' tha day. Even when she came ta see what he was workin' on, there weren't no spendin' time together as such, 'cept for the short breaks they got.

Today was different. They wandered by the lake arm in arm, as a young husband and wife should, with Simon unfortunately trailin' not far behind. Also trailin' further back still was their ever present guard. They seemed ta lose a guard each day they was here, seems the folks here trusted quick like. Well, that suited Jayne fine. It'd be much easier when that _chwen _Mal finally showed up.

**Alliance Cruiser **_**Magellan – **_**Same Time**

Mal had just about had enough. Four days he'd been attached to this ruttin' symbol of Alliance power and he didn't like it none. _Four days._ At least Book was on his way ta makin' a full recovery, and while not up and about he was conscious when he should be and in decent spirits.

Tha gorram Purplebellies had searched _Serenity _thoroughly, from stem ta stern. And found nothin'. Luckily, there was nothin' ta find. This time. And the ships logbook had a least got a shiny new stamp. Although it didn't help his feelin' a violation none.

Suddenly the ships PA burst inta life. It was Wash.

"Cap'n, Alliance _hun dun's _called over. I think our Shepherd is ready to be released. They _request _your presence over at their Sick Bay."

"Ok." Mal commed back, and then stormed off collect their newly repaired Shepherd.

_Serenity _was cleared ta launch 30 minutes later. Seems that when the Alliance _Wang bao dahn's _lost interest in ya, they did it real fast. They fair threw Mal, Book, and now _Serenity _herself off the massive cruiser without so much as a by your leave.

Suited Mal fine, truth be told, and soon enough they were heading back to Jiangyin. They were further out then when they came, and goin' slower ta save fuel ta boot. They'd used a lot a fuel at full burn ta get the Shepherd tha needed help, and they were light on. No help from tha Alliance there neither.

Once they were well clear, the former Independent thought it was high time he had a little talk with Tha Shepherd. They'd spoken on the why's Book had been treated on an Alliance cruiser, but not the how, Shepherd was all sorts of guilty havin' been the cause of three of tha Crew havin' been left behind, but it weren't really his fault.

"You're gonna be fine Shepherd. Alliance patched ya up real good."

"Captain, I'm sorry about all of this, it's my fault..."

"No it ain't." Mal interrupted. "No point speakin' on it again. What I do wanna know though, Shepherd, is what kinda ident card gets us that kind a help? They was ready ta toss us before they ran your card."

"I am a Shepherd." Book simply replied. "Folks like a man of God."

Mal didn't buy that for a second.

"No, they don't. Men a God make everyone feel guilty and judged. That's not what I saw. Ya like ta tell me what really happened?"

"I surely would." Book said as he laid his head back. "And maybe someday I will." The Shepherd closed his eyes and sighed, "It's good to be home."

Mal, dismissed on his own boat, left without a further word. Ten hours to Jiangyin, They had some missin' Crew members ta retrieve, Book's mystery could wait.

**Hill Folk Village – Lake**

Simon watched the ape man and his sister with concern. Perhaps ape man wasn't quite fair. He'd taken good care of his sister, and looked out for the Core Doctor also, Simon admitted.

They looked exactly like the young married couple they were pretending to be. And that, the Doctor believed, was concerning. Going far beyond what would be deemed necessary to deceive some border world back births. They acted the same way in private, _away _from prying eyes.

It was the little things he'd noticed. A look here, a touch there. Not just touches, but gentle caresses. And his _mei emi_ had smiled more in the last few days than she had in the last few weeks. Their relationship seemed so _natural, _like they weren't pretending at all. Like it was _genuine, _like they really were in...

The Doctor couldn't finish that thought. So what could he do? Here they were, kidnapped by "hill folk", and his sister was happy. Really happy. Happy to be spending inordinate amounts of time with Jayne. And at night...what if they...

Simon couldn't finish that thought, either. But he could get angry, and he did. In fact he was fuming. That ape man gone wrong _touching _his _mei mei!_

Said _mei mei _suddenly turned to him and viewed him with disdain, as she let go of Jayne and walked back to him.

The look made him squirm, and he bought his temper under control. River had always been so perceptive.

"_Ba__o hu zhe _has not tarnished my honor _ge ge. _If that's what you are thinking." She added. In truth, some tarnishing would be appealing. Turning back to Jayne without waiting for a response from her brother, she giggled, causing Jayne to look at her in confusion.

"What's all that about?"

"_Ge ge _has improper thoughts. Does not like that we share a domicile. I do, and that is all that matters."

Jayne nodded, subject closed.

But not for Simon. He didn't like what he was seeing, and sincerely hoped today would be the day _Serenity _would swoop down from the sky and break up this ridiculous sham of a relationship.

**Jiangyin – Orbit – After Midnight – Day Five**

Mal had ordered Wash ta get to Jiangyin as fast as best fuel economy would allow. It didn't quite work like that but Wash did the best he could.

So they'd arrived after midnight, planet time. Weren't gonna be able ta do jack in the middle a tha night planetside, so The Cap'n decided ta hit the local oribital Skyplex and refuel. They were runnin' low anyway, and no tellin' how long it would take ta find their wayward Crewmates.

He ordered everyone else ta get some rest, and then tried hisself. Didn't get much, as it happened.

Early next mornin', they hit atmo and headed for tha same town they had landed near last time. Flyin' slowly over the same corral they had used earlier, Mal noticed it was empty and idly wondered what had happened ta tha gorram cows.

Once landed, he and Wash grabbed the Mule and headed inta town for a look-see while Zoe guarded the boat. She grumbled but she was the only one capable a usin' a gun proper like, 'cept hisself, and he weren't stayin'. He was the Cap'n, after all.

Startin' with tha same general store, and goin' from there, they'd learned tha Tam's and later Jayne, had been through tha store, but little else. No one they questioned had seen any a them. Or would admit ta it at any rate.

Several hours later, The Cap'n and Pilot were none the wiser.

Debatin' on whether ta go see tha local law or not, Mal decided it were not a good idea. Mebbe they believed _Serenity _had nothin' ta do with any illegal cattle sale, and subsequent shootout. And mebbe not. At least one deputy was injured that Mal remembered, prolly not a good idea anyways.

So what ta do? Well, the old fashioned way. They'd just check each settlement, startin' near by. Surely there ain't too many, and surely tha Tam's and tha Head a Security couldn'ta gone too far?

Headin' back ta tha ship, bowed but by no means defeated, the two were still sure they'd have the Crew whole by tha end of tha day.

Back on tha bridge, Wash pulled up a map of the local area off tha Cortex and waited for it to update.

After consultin' with Zoe, it was decided they'd check every settlement from here within a four days walkin' radius. It prolly weren't necessary, but they scope 'em all out if need be, startin' with tha closest.

With the update complete, Wash looked up in shock.

"Mal, ya gotta see this."

"What have ya found Wash?"

"_Wo bu shin so dah yan jing! _Just how many are there?"

The map was full a little red blobs.

"There's fifty-two settlements of three families or more within the four day radius. Not counting single family farms. Seems the locals like to live in family clans. Can't blame them if people get snatched in broad daylight so often."

"Surely somebody must know who's doin' the snatchin'?" Mal ashed, incredulous.

"According to the local law system I just hacked, it's a gorram local past time! Everybody blames 'the hill folk', but 'indentured' workers turn up all over the place. Even have papers, some of them. Captain, it's a ruttin' nightmare. Not only do we have to check them all…" Wash began, but was interrupted by Mal.

"….but if it's as rife as it seems, no one's gonna be talkin'." They'd seen that taday already. "_Ta me da! _Better get started then."

The Cap'n hoped they'd get lucky. 'Cause their luck was always so good….

**Jiangyin – **_**Serenity – **_**Day 16**

"Why is our luck always so _go se?"_ Mal asked no one in particular. _Twelve _days the'd been searchin', and not a trace. "How many does that make it?' he asked Wash as Mal thumped back inta the caro bay with Zoe in tow.

"Thirty six. How'd it go?"

"No better." Zoe answered. "Well a little, at least there was no shootin' this time. Sir, how are we sure they ain't in a place we'd already been and just well hid?"

"We ain't. We still got sixteen ta check, and then, well, … we'll just cross that bridge when we come ta it."

"'Sir. Mal. I think we shoulda found them by now. Surely Simon and River couldn'ta walked this far. They ain't used ta it. What if they weren't kidnapped by 'hill folk' at all? And where the ruttin' hell is Jayne? No way no hell he's bein' kept down by hill folk."

"Whattya sayin' Zo?"

"I mean what if The Alliance got 'em. _Magellan's _Commander was awful keen that we enjoy his hospitality for four days…."

Mal thought about that, hard, then shook his head.

"We keep goin' Zo, I ain't stoppin' searchin' til I gotta."

**Hill Folk Village – That Morning**

They'd gotten inta a routine, just like proper married folk. Comfortable, it was, seemed natural like. Both Jayne and River were likin' it. Simon not so much.

It couldn't go on, and Jayne knew it. Mal hadn't shown up. He shoulda. No question. So, if Mal wouldn't, or couldn't come ta him, he'd go find them. All he needed was an opportunity.

He could escape his ownself, at any time. That wouldn't work. If he left, they'd lock down River and Simon, make it awful hard ta get them out later, especially if he couldn't find Mal. No, it'd be worse than back ta square one.

He weren't gonna leave his beautiful _jingling _here alone, not without a reasonable chance a pullin' a rescue off.

Married routine wasn't tha only thing that had developed over the last two plus weeks. They'd all been model members a tha community, and that had earned them a bit a trust. Especially from The Patron, who had been pinned under a large log one day after an accident. Only tha strength a Jayne's massive frame had saved him from a crushin' death.

Tha opportunity had presented itself, soon after. As a sign of The Patron's gratitude, Jayne was gonna be allowed ta go out with the Stark brothers on huntin' trip. They'd leave early, and would be out all day. At this time a year that was about twelve hours a daylight.

"Why tha long face baby girl?" he asked, even though he was sure he knew tha answer.

"Will not see _zhang fu _all day. We will not have been this far apart.." she screwed her face up as she thought. "Ever." A tear slipped out and ran down her cheek.

"Sure we have." Jayne automatically said as he hugged her. But try as he might, he couldn't think of a time. Either tha meets on jobs where close ta tha ship, or if further away, they'd take tha Mule or even a shuttle and it'd be quick like. Never this far, fer this long.

"And if you summon The Captain, all this..", she motioned with her hand at the surroundings, will be gone. "_We_ will be gone. No more _us. _Just River, and just Jayne."

Tears were flowin' more freely now, and the big man wasn't lookin' forward ta it his ownself. They'd slept together every night for over two weeks. Even with no sexin' involved it was tha best two weeks he'd spent in a bed, ever. A real bed, with a real woman he l…..with River, and although he wanted it ta continue, he knew it couldn't. If the Alliance came, or if somethin' happened ta him, tha girl was in deep _go se. _Neither she nor the pansy ass Doc were cut out fer life here.

"Hush, woman. It's fer the best. Gotta get back ta tha ship. Gotta keep movin'. Only way ta be safe. Gotta get back ta tha ship.." he finished lamely.

Tha big man had another reason ta get back tat ha ship. He had some powerful feelin's for the young woman now, playin' at bein' married had seen ta that. And he weren't even sure they was playin'. But she was young, and he weren't. If they stayed here he wasn't sure that'd be enough ta keep him away, where he should be…..

"You are wrong, Jayne."

He looked up at that, she rarely called him by his actual name.

"Linear time scales are irrelevant between us." She continued. "I have seen, and been the cause of, as much carnage as you have."

"I know River, but I'm over twice ya age. Ya don't need ta be stuck with an old man…"

"_My _choice. Although it would not have been so if I had stayed on Osiris." She said as she changed tactics.

"Whattya mean?" he asked, intrigued.

"If I had remained on Osiris, by now I would have been betrothed to a man much older than you. It is the way there, an arrangement of convenience to further business interests. I would have no say. It was the way with my mother, and with hers. My daughter would be the same, if I were to have one."

Jayne was shocked. It happened on Tha Rim, fer different reasons, but it did. He never thought it would happen on Tha Core.

He looked her in tha eyes and could see no sign a deception.

"What about ya brother?' he asked, as he also changed tactics.

"_Ge ge_ does not approve. It's not just you, Jayne. He would be unlikely to approve of any suitor, but you are anathema to him. I am sorry."

He didn't know what that meant, tha look on her face showed it weren't nothin' good.

"Well, he ain't my favorite person, neither. So there!" he said in triumph.

That started her gigglin', which was way better than cryin'.

"That's better baby girl. Look, I gotta go. Remember ta stick with tha Doc when ya ain't workin', _dong ma?"_

"I will, _zhang fu." _

She leant up and kissed him on the lips as they broke apart. Jayne had been avoidin' that. Kissin' on tha lips led ta other things, right quick.

He didn't have a chance ta think further on it none, as Jacob Stark started bangin' on their door.

"Get out here Cobb, we got work ta do."

The day wore on and it were frustratin' as hell. All three brothers were armed, and Jayne a 'course weren't. Still, he wasn't worried about that none, he could take 'em. If they got lax and gave him the opportunity ta do so. So far, they hadn't. Watchin' him like a hawk they was, especially tha youngest, Owen. It got ta be so that mebbe tha little _hun dun _had an accident a his own in mind fer Jayne. Weren't no secret he wanted River. Couldn't blame him none fer that, who wouldn'ta? But the _jingling _was his.

It were mid afternoon and the big man was thinkin' he'd have ta make his own opportunity. The Stark's idea a huntin' was stealin' from other people's traps and such, and at least they did it a fair ways from the village. Jayne reckoned they was about 20-25 miles closer ta the town here. Only about a third a the way, but it would have ta do.

They'd rode the Stark's wagon while they "hunted". Wagon's were scarce in tha village, Jayne had scoped 'em all out, seein' if he could steal one and escape with the Tam's. Not easily, it turned out. They was guarded, and locked down like a nun's virtue. It could be done, but not quick like. And tha Doc wouldn't be of any help. River could, but….he shook his head. He'd ditched that plan so no sense thinkin' on it now. He was here. He decided he'd make his move on their next stop.

The former mercenary didn't get tha chance. The wagon lurched over a pothole, and a gun discharged, hittin' Jayne. It were Owen's gun. Whether it was an accident or not, didn't matter none.

Liam brought tha wagon to a stop as Jacob tried ta take his youngest brothers gun offa him.

"Ya idiot!" he screamed. "Patron _likes _this ape, we's gonna be fer it!"

A scuffle broke out and Jayne took his chance. He'd been hit in the upper arm, not too bad, the bullet had gone through. Hurt like a summbitch, but whatever. Roarin', he pushed Jacob and Owen off tha wagon while grabbin' the youngest brother's gun. He swung that, quick like, and knocked Liam out cold in the drivers seat.

"Ya _yi da__ tuo da bian!" _he sneered, menacingly. "I oughtta end that lot a ya!

"Don't be hasty Cobb, it were an accident." Jacob pleaded.

"I ain't just talkin' about that ya _Yi da dwei bun chou roh! _Make ya useful," Jayne ordered Jacob as he threw him a length of rope, "tie them two idiot brothers a yours up in the back a tha wagon, real good."

Jacob could see Jayne wasn't gonna accept no argument.

"Ya makin' a mistake Cobb, tha Doc and that little woman a yours are gonna pay!" Jacob said as he finished tyin' his brothers up.

"I don't think so…" Jayne murmured, then he swung the mighty fist of his good arm inta Jacob's face, knockin' the man out.

Makin' sure all three were tied up nice and good in tha back of tha wagon, Jayne started off fer town. He'd rather just ditch the wagon and ride the horse bareback inta town, would be much quicker, but he didn't wanna leave the Stark's behind ta be found or ta get free somehow.

It were now three hours later and the sun was low. The Stark _ch__wens _were awake, but not doin' anything as they was well scared a Jayne. They was 20 miles or so closer, one third ta go, but three more hours would make it after sundown, and they was supposed ta be back by then. And who knows how long it would take ta getta holda Mal?

Too long mayhaps. Time ta ditch the wagon. He could do tha ride in two or less without the weight a tha wagon and the idiots currently occupyin' it's rear. Decision made, Jayne pulled down the next side track he saw and went down a small ways. Didn't have time ta waste on proper hidin'.

Unhitchin' tha wagon, he had one more thing ta do before he set off. Advancin' on the Starks, there eyes wide with fear, he bent over Jacob.

"I oughta kill ya fer what ya done. But it ain't my way. Not in cold blood. So ya is lucky. Well, luckier than ya should be." A few seconds later all three were out cold, again.

Jayne took off at a canter, arm hurtin' like a summbitch, headin' fer town at best speed. Hopefully he could get there, at least, by sundown.

**Hill Folk Village – "Hospital"**

River was frantic. Her mental link with Jayne had gotten weaker and weaker the further away he'd gone. The weaker the link became, the more the thoughts of the others in the Village intruded into her own. The young psychic had suspected this would have been the case. Bonding with Jayne had given her a measure of peace and stability, take that bond away, or weaken it..the results were predictable. It had to be thus.

The young woman was equal parts amazed at the ability of her mind to rationally analyze the situation with one part, while allowing another part to be bombarded with thoughts and emotions not her own. It had been an equal battle, until she had felt a shock of anger and pain come down her link with Jayne, and then…nothing.

She cried out in anguish as she collapsed onto one of the hospital beds, Simon rushing over in concern.

By they time he had taken the few short steps his _mei mei _was unconscious. The Doctor checked her vitals, all seemed good with the exception of an elevated heart rate, and with no drugs to administer all he could do was make her as comfortable as possible and wait for her to awaken.

**Approaching Town – Sundown**

The horse wasn't used ta what he was askin' of it, but still made good time. Tha sun began ta dip below the horizon as he hit the outskirts of town. He hadn't seen a Cortex machine anywhere last time he was here, and the only place he knew they'd definitely have one was the Sheriff's Office. Weren't a good option, but he didn't have another.

Tha closer he got, the more people he started seein'. Payin' them no mind, and hopin' fer tha same courtesy, but as he passed a fancy carriage someone called out ta him.

"Did ya find ya girl?" It were tha old woman from tha shindig.

Jayne was apt ta keep ridin', but mebbe she knew a another Cortex? He rode over and doffed his hat.

"Yes Maam, and her brother. They was takin' by hill folk. There's too many a them and I've come fer help." Jayne had no time ta mince words.

"Ya won't mind none here son. It's the way a these parts, I'm sorry, but thats' how it is." The old biddy looked genuinely sorry.

"I got a ship I can call, don't need no other help. Just need ta call 'em is all."

"Well, good luck then." She said and went at move off.

"Maam! That's tha thing, I need ta WAVE 'em, do ya know of a workin' Cortex?" Jayne asked hopefully.

"Sheriff's office." she simply said.

"'Nother?" She could see the pleadin' in his eyes.

"I can tell ya a decent boy, and ya love ya girl, that's why I told ya what I did, last time."

Jayne just nodded.

The old lady made her decision.

"I got a machine, not supposed ta. Need it ta keep in touch with my sister on Whitefall. Patience got it fer me, she did. Looks after me right fine."

It took all a Jayne's will power ta keep the shock offa his face.

The old lady looked him up and down again.

"C'mon then, boy, don't dally."

"Thank ya maam. Much obliged."

Ten minutes later he was finally talkin' ta Mal.

**Hill Folk Village – Hospital – Early Evening**

River woke slowly. Her mind was foggy, and despite the blanket covering her she was cold. She was sure this wasn't the way she usually woke. Confused, she looked over to see here _ge ge._

"Simon?'

Simon rushed over, relieved to see her awake.

"How are you feeling _mei mei?" _

She didn't answer, but looked around the room.

"This isn't where you should be. You are a great doctor, in the top three percent, shouldn't you be in a proper medical facility?"

The Doctor was very concerned. It seemed his sister didn't remember where they were or what had happened. A terrible wave of sadness came over him as he saw her face fall and her eyes moisten.

"I took you away from there."

"No." Simon shook his head vigorously.

"I know I did. You don't think I do, but….I get confused. I remember everything. I remember too much, and….some of it's made up, and…some of it can't be quantified, and….there's secrets."

"It's ok." The young doctor said, the love for his sister evident in his face.

"But I understand." His sister continued. "You gave up everything you had to find me. And you found me broken. I am sorry." A tear slipped down her cheek.

"Oh _mei mei." _He gathered his sister into a hug.

River seemed to focus as she broke away.

"Don't worry Simon, we won't be here long. _Ba__o hu zhe_ will come and take us home. And I'll get better…I'll get better."

Simon gave her another hug as the nurse/teacher, Doralee, came into the hospital with a little mute girl, Ruby.

"Get to bed, now." She ordered the little girl.

River looked over to the girl.

"Her sister got killed. Mother got crazy, killed the sister. That one lived." She nodded towards Ruby.

"Ruby talked to you honey?" she asked River, with a huge smile. Perhaps a breakthrough in the young girls condition? "It's true what she's saying" She told Simon. "Poor woman went out of her mind. Tried to kill her two girls. Ruby lived." Doralee smile again at River. "Sweetheart, you're an angel! No one's been able to get Ruby to speak even a peep. It's a miracle, that's what it is!" She finished, laughing.

For her part, River was confused.

"Ruby doesn't talk. Her voice got scared away…"

Now Doralee was confused.

"I don't understand. If Rubdy didn't talk, how do you know…?"

"Um, my sister's….. " It was the Doctor's turn at being confused. "She's very perceptive, very good at…" In truth there was no rational explanation he could think of.

Doralee stood up straight, shock evident on her face.

"And they shall be among the people. And they shall speak truths and whisper secrets, and you will know them by their crafts."

"What are you taking about?" Simon was concerned at the look on the nurse's face. Maybe Jayne was right about everyone here being _feng le._

"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live!" Doralee yelled.

Uh oh Simon thought. Definitely _feng le._

_**Serenity – **_**Same Time**

Jayne had given Mal the barest a details over the Cortex. Ya never knew what the sister a Patience was capable of.

Wash had expertly landed, as usual, the mid bulk transport at the towns landing pad.

Zoe opened the ramp and Jayne stormed aboard.

"Good ta see ya, Jayne, where are tha Tams?"

"I'd like ta know that my ownself." Mal said as he entered the cargo bay. "Ya didn't say a whole lot over tha WAVE."

"I couldn't Mal. Tha old woman was tha sister a someone we know…on Whitefall…couldn't risk it."

It took The Cap'n a coupla seconds ta make tha connection.

"Patience?"

Jayne nodded.

Mal laughed. "Right. Now where's tha rest a my Crew?"

"Wash gotta map up?"

It were the Cap'ns turn ta nod.

On the Bridge, Wash already had the map up and running on the screen.

"Where?" he said. "and hello I suppose."

Jayne studied the map fer a moment and made some calculations. He was pretty sure, but…

"Can ya put up a terrain overlay?"

Wash rolled his eyes but punched the needed button. Terrain features appeared on the map.

"Yeah, that's it. There." Jayne pointed to one of the displayed settlements. It were over sixty miles away.

"How long it take ya ta get there?" Mal asked. It were right just past the edge of tha maximum search radius they'd planned earlier.

"A day, why?

"A day, how'd ya walk that far with Simon and River in a day?"

"Walk? Got taken in a wagon." Dumbass.

"Ah, ok, then."

Everyone looked at each other before Mal looked Jayne over and noticed his self patched arm wound.

"You're hit, ya bleedin' Jayne!"

"I ain't got time ta bleed." Jayne replied.

"Oh, ok. Ya got time ta weapon up? His Head a Security nodded. "Wash, get us in the air, 'bout ten minutes give or take I say."

**Hill Folk Village – Main Square – Same Time**

Doralee had made her pronouncement and then ran out of the hospital. Simon followed, with River in tow.

They had just caught up to the black woman when she started ringing the village bell. Almost immediately hill folk started pouring out of their homes.

"This is lunacy!" he pleaded. "You're supposed to be a teacher here! What exactly is it that you teach?"

Doralee ignored him as The Patron approached.

"What's going on, woman?" the tall man demanded. "Why are you knocking us from our homes at this hour?"

"The doctor's sister's a witch. She read Ruby's mind. Saw things she couldn't…"

"NO!" Simon interrupted. "River is not a witch. She's just a troubled young woman…" he finished lamely.

"I'm sure that's true." The Patron told Simon. "You're not a witch, are you?"

River did not answer him.

"You know I'm the Patron. Do you know what that means?" he threatened.

"Yes." She finally answered. "You're in charge. Ever since the old Patron died."

"That's right." He said, smiling. Always nice to get a public affirmation of his power.

"He was sick." The young psychic continued. "But he was getting better. You were alone in the room with him." River couldn't help it, the memories were too strong and she was very frightened.

The Patron voice rose with fury.

"This girl reads minds and spins falsehoods!" He had to silence the girl, had to do something to confirm his hold on power. "She's a witch!" he declared. "And we must purge the devil from her…with fire!"

At that, River shrieked as the mob surged forward and grabbed the Tam's.

It wasn't long before the hill folk had erected a post and a pyre. Seemed they had some experience in such things.

The Patron dragged River to the pole and tied the terrified young woman to it, with her hands behind her back.

"Take me instead." Simon pleaded. "Take my life for hers."

The Patron was unmoved. That wouldn't solve this dilemma at all.

"The witch must die. God commands it." The Patron said, nodding at some hill folk with torches to light the pyre.

"NO!" the young doctor screamed. "Get away from her!"

The Doctor put himself between the hill folk and his _mei mei, _intent to protect her to the last.

"She has done nothing to you! If she dies tonight, it won't be God's will that killed her, it'll be you! And may God have mercy on your souls when her husband returns. For Jayne will not." Simon actually believed his own words, and wished with all his being that the big man was here. They needed him, and Simon had no trouble admitting that.

They mob hesitated. They had either seen, or heard, of the giant and his abilities – and his temper.

The Patron saw his mob falter, and took a torch from one of them and strode to the pyre, intent on doing the deed himself if need be. The girl must be silenced!

This brought they mob out of their stupor, and they surged forward.

Knowing he could not fight them all, the Doctor could only think of one more thing to do. He moved back and stood on the platform next to his sister. Smiling, he put his arm around her. If she goes, I go, he thought.

"Light it," he said, with a look of determination on his face.

Determination turned to confusion as his _mei mei _turned to him, smiling.

"Time to go. _Zhang fu."_

Why was she calling me her husband? Still confused, but no less determined, he stood awaiting their shared fate.

Without warning, the area was assaulted by the thunderous sounds of a ship's engines. All were shocked and looked up as the belly bay doors on the ship opened, and a fierce looking woman hanging in a harness aimed a rather large gun directly at The Patron, the laser sight shining brightly on his face.

Stunned, the mob were about ta get another surprise.

Jayne and Mal pushed their way through the rear of tha crowd, guns drawn. _Serenity's _Head a Security was fully armed, and wore a massive scowl on his face.

It was a fearsome sight.

Mal had originally wanted Zoe on tha ground with him, but Jayne had argued that he knew tha ground, and tha people. They would be more willin' ta take note a him than a complete stranger. It could avoid any bloodshed. The Cap'n had agreed it were a good thing ta try and avoid, so he'd let Jayne lead. Besides, it were a Security Department matter, after all…..

"Well, look at this!" Jayne bellowed as he ran _Vera _over the mob. "Appears we got here just in tha nick a time. What does that make us ya think Cap'n?"

"Big damn heroes, Jayne."

"Ain't we just. Sorry ta interrupt, folks, y'all got somethin' that belongs ta me, and I'd like it back."

Despite the look on Jayne's face, The Patron had to try and salvage the situation, or he was finished.

"This is holy cleansing. You cannot think to thwart God's will."

"I'm lookin' ta kill some folk." Jayne replied. "So really it's _my _will y'all should worry about thwartin'."

While Jayne held them at bay, Mal had moved next to Simon.

"Gotta say, Doc, your talent for alienatin' folk is near miraculous."

The color had returned to the Doctor's face as his relief spread. He was sure they were safe now Jayne and the others were here.

"Yes, I'm very proud." He deadpanned.

"Cut her down." Jayne ordered The Patron, his tolerance was up. He'd do it his ownself but he had ta keep tha crowd at bay.

The Patron, foolishly, made one more attempt.

"That girl is a witch!" he screamed.

"Yeah, but she's _my _witch." Jayne replied as he blew The Patron's head clean off. He'd had enough of the man's _go se._

The mob panicked and ran.

This was the cue for Jayne ta turn and cut River down, which he did, quick like. He gave _Vera _ta Simon, of all people, and carried his _jingling _ta tha now landed _Serenity._

The Crew was finally whole, and safe.

_**Serenity – **_**The Black - Later**

There had been much fussin' over the lost trio that night. Simon patched up Jayne's arm, doin' his usual excellent job, and the Doc then insisted he give his sister a full check. She didn't object, never could seem to really, but it put Simon's mind at ease.

Jayne had got _Boo _ and _Binky _back – Mal had taken 'em off the body a The Patron.

After the wounds were seen to, The Cap'n insisted on a Crew dinner, even though everyone had had a big day. He didn't make his wayward cook prepare the meal, for which she was grateful. It turned out to be a good idea. The Crew was complete, and for once everyone was happy with everyone else.

Even Simon was happy with Jayne, despite him thinking his sister and the big man were sitting a little too close together for his comfort. He reflected on that. _His _comfort. He looked at his _mei mei _looking up at Jayne, a picture of happiness. Maybe his comfort shouldn't be a priority? He'd give that some more thought later, for now there was a certain mechanic that was very happy to have him back.

There was a recounting of tales, although through unsaid agreement both Jayne and Simon left out some details. River didn't provide them, either, which was a great relief. No need for awkward questions, not now.

After dinner the Crew left to enjoy various pursuits, mostly in pairs, with the exception of the good Shepherd who retired to his room to pray. River had urgent business with Inara, it seemed, so that left Mal and Jayne as the only two left at the table.

"It were a close run thing Jayne."

"Yeah Mal, it was. Shouldn'ta been. In fact shoulda never happened. I let my guard down and they got took. Was too focused on them gorram cows and how nice a place it seemed."

"Don't be too hard on yerself Jayne, I told 'em ta go inta town, after all?"

"Yeah Cap'n, ya did." Jayne's face wore a scowl. "Should never have let them go unprotected."

"Ya ain't questionin' my decision are ya Jayne?" Mal wore a matchin' scowl his ownself.

"No Cap'n, but I'm Head a Security. I should never have let them go without bein' able ta defend themselves. Ya wanted 'em gone so we could do crime, fine, but it's my job ta protect alla tha Crew and I failed. I don't like that none Mal."

"Well ya sure did fine the two weeks ya was missin'." He put up his hand ta stop Jayne interruptin'. "But you're right, it were wrong ta send them off on their lonesome, with not even a knife between 'em."

"Well Cap'n, I aim to rectify that. Remember I said I was gonna teach River how ta shoot? Well, that starts tomorrow."

"Ok, but remember what _I _said about it, _dong ma?"_

"Sure Mal, thanks. She's good at most everything, this should be no different."

Mal looked at his friend who was smilin' a warm, genuine smile. And he was smilin' as he was thinkin' on tha petite woman no doubt.

Jayne's smile got wider as the petite woman in question gracefully entered the room with Inara in tow.

The Cap'n was gonna comment on that fact, but before he could he was hustled outta tha room by tha Registered Companion.

It was the first time they had been alone since comin' back aboard.

Jayne rose as she came tawords him, fully intendin' to give her a hug. Before he could, she leant up and kissed him on tha lips briefly.

"What was that fer?"

"For coming to my rescue, _zhang fu."_

"No need ta call me that no more baby girl." He said as he finally got her in an embrace.

"It's become a habit. It will be hard to shake."

"True enough." He said as he began ta laugh.

"Does my acquired habit amuse you?"

"No, ya…." Jayne paused, not sure if he should continue. "Ya make me happy, is all. Can't help but smile and laugh when you're around. Ya makin' me all sissified!' he complained.

It was her turn to laugh.

"True enough." She mimicked him again. "I feel the same way." she continued in her normal voice.

They stayed that way in silence for a minute or two, for once not caring if they were interrupted.

"Tamorrow your lesson begin." Jayne suddenly stated.

"More cooking?' she asked, but she knew what he was talking about.

"If ya want, but that ain't what I was talkin' about, and ya know it."

"Ah, weapons training. Not my favorite, but necessary I suppose."

"Damn right it is! If Mal hadn't been such a gorram dumbass you'd already had a fully loaded _Ingrid_ with ya and ya coulda handled tha situation ya ownself."

"You really think I could of?"

"A 'course. Ya can do anything."

The young psychic knew he wasn't lying, and was happy to know her faux _zhang fu _had genuine faith in her.

"Thank you." She smiled. "I have another dilemma however." She said hesitantly.

"What's that?"

"I am unsure if I will be able to sleep without you tonight."

"Me too." He sighed. "Ya scared me taday, ya know."

"Why?"

"Was thinkin' how if we was only a few minutes later I woulda lost ya. Woulda leveleld that place and everyone in it…."

"Thoughts of my demise make you entertain thoughts of mass carnage?" she laughed lightly inta his chest.

"I'm serious woman!"

"I know. It's disturbing, but simultaneously comforting." She was still laughing, and now so was he.

" . _Dong ma?" _He turned serious. "I'll make sure ya ain't never gonna hafta be in that position again."

"And I will do the same for you. We must now pinky promise."

And they did.

"Now, time for bed. Git!"

"Don't want to."

"Ya hafta, or ya brother will just come get ya."

"Will not be able to sleep."

"Me neither."

"I will need a reminder of Jayne to help me try."

"Oh, what's that?"

She didn't answer, but kissed him once again on the lips. This one was a little longer, and as she went to turn and move away, Jayne's resistance totally collapsed.

Jayne grabbed her before she could leave, and she squeaked, happily. "So beautiful." He murmured as he looked deeply inta her eyes. He then kissed her, slowly at first, but as his hunger for her grew tha kissin' became more intense, her mouth parted for him and their tongues met.

River had never experienced anything like it in her life. Every fiber of her being was alive with the sensation of Jayne. It was totally disorientating, and totally wonderful.

She had got the kiss she had so desperately wanted, and it had exceeded all her expectations. Phase One complete.

Suddenly Jayne broke the kiss and gently pushed her away.

"Now git woman, afore ya can't!" he said in mock anger.

"What if I don't want to 'git'?"

"Do ya really want ta know?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." She smiled.

This was the cue for simple Simon to appear.

"River? River. There you are. It's been a long day _mei mei, _perhaps it's time to sleep?"

The Doctor looked between Jayne and his sister and noted her swollen lips. To his surprise, he wasn't angry. Debating whether to just turn and leave, he was surprised to hear Jayne's voice.

"Ya brother's right. We all had a big day, and my arm hurts like a summbitch. I think I'll turn in." He smiled as he walked off tawards his bunk.

The big man wasn't sure kissin' tha _jingling _were a good idea, but damned if it didn't feel good.

What he was sure is that he wasn't gonna be getting' much sleep tanight.

**A/N: Next, Our Mrs Reynolds re-imagined. **

**Chinese:**

_Ge ge – Big brother_

_Ba__o hu zhe – Protector_

_Go se – Crap_

_Jingling – Pixie_

_Fei hua – Crap talk_

_Ma shong! – On the double._

_Sha gwa – Fool_

_Hun dun – Jerk_

_Dong ma? – Understand?_

_Feh feh pi gu – Baboon's butt crack_

_Feng le – Crazy_

_Zhang fu – Husband_

_Wu dong – I understand_

_Chwen – Dumbass_

_Wang bao dahn's – Dirty bastard SOB's_

_Wo bu shin so dah yan jing – I don't believe my eyes_

_Ta me da! – Fornicate me!_

_Yi da tuo da bian – A big pile of crap_

_Yi da dwei bun chou roh – Big stupid pile of stinking meat_


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 12 – Our Mrs Reynolds**

**Enroute to Triumph – Heinlen Border System – 15 October 2517**

The last five days had passed in a blur for tha Browncoat Captain. Over two weeks searching for tha three missin' Crew members, not ta mention another run in with a gorram Alliance Cruiser, had put _Serenity's _ability ta earn cashy money on hold. He was desperate for a job, any job, so here they was, enroute ta Triumph ta sort out a local gang, which tha local law had declined ta pursue, least with any vigor. Not the Crew of _Serenity's _usual work, but work nonetheless.

Jayne's days had been full, teachin' the _jingling _tha finer tools a tha trade. No live fire, not until they hit dirt, but now that Mal was "allowin'" him ta teach tha young woman how ta shoot, he was takin' advantage of not havin' ta hide the sessions ta teach her everything there was ta know about bein' a gun hand. Not just weaponry, but everythin' from attitude, how ta stand, how ta look and somesuch, ta trackin' and lots in between. A lotta it had to be theoretical like, and it had only been a few days, but she was doin' well as he'd thought she would do. Which was pretty good.

Jayne's nights weren't so full, though. Was hard ta sleep, fer both a them it seemed, so most nights they got what sleep they could, but always ended up in the crash chairs leanin' against each other wrapped in their own blankets. Was a ridiculous sight, ta be sure, but at least none a tha Crew had seen them. Lil Kaylee was always first up ta check on tha engine, and tha bangin' of her hatch had so far woken tha pair up. They'd then scurry fer their own bunks. Jayne thought it were all kinds of unmanly, but they'd decided it weren't worth that trouble it'd mebbe cause if they was discovered in tha same bunk. So crash chairs it was.

That weren't tha only worry. The Doc was lookin' at him awful funny, like he was lookin' at a bug and wonderin' if he was gonna squash it or not. Seems both Tam's could be creepafyin' if they wanted ta be.

Simon was, indeed, wondering what he should do about the increasing amounts of time his sister and the ape…no Jayne, were spending together. Almost inseparable by day, the only times he hadn't seen them together was during River's daily unofficial flying or engine maintenance lessons. He was even helping with the cooking, most times! And at night….well, he had woken up to check on his sister several times and found them together, but strangely not, sleeping leaning against each other in the crash chairs. It was simultaneously a ridiculous and disturbing sight.

Strangely enough, he had a bigger worry when it came to his _mei mei. _"She reads minds and spins falsehoods" The Patron had said. Well, spinning falsehoods didn't seem to be true. And he could tell that because the mind reading seemed to be accurate. Mind reading. His _mei mei _was a reader? She'd always been very perceptive, but the details she spoken had to have been gotten from somewhere. And since no one had spoken these things to her….it had to be that she was a reader. What had the Academy done to her?

"Enhanced the ability, _ge ge. _That's what they called it." His _mei mei _said as she walked into the Infirmary. "It was always there, you call it perception. If you wish to speak of it, that is fine, but I want Jayne to be here."

Well, that puts any doubt to rest Simon thought.

"Yes it does, Simon."

Simon blinked, unable to do anything else.

"Jayne? Why do you want him to know? If it got out…..we should keep it between ourselves, I'm sure The Captain wouldn't…"

"_Ba__o hu zhe_ already knows, _ge ge, _and I require him to be here. I will return momentarily."

Shocked at her revelation and the casual use of her ability, Simon had little choice but to wait for his sister's return.

The odd couple, and Simon could not help but think of them as one, entered the Infirmary and took strangely matching poses in front of The Doctor. Simon found himself doubly intimidated.

"What's got ya panties in a bunch Doc?" Jayne demanded.

"Manners, _Ba__o hu zhe!" _River admonished the big man.

"Gorram it woman, don't start!"

"I would not have 'to start', Jayne, if you acted more civil when civility is required."

"Why fer ya always got ta do that?"

The Doctor found himself amused, and at the same time disturbed, by the banter. Twin feelings were becoming the signature of the odd couple. And that was it, he decided. That's exactly how they acted.

Simon cleared his throat, ending the bickering.

"Apologies, _ge ge. _I am trying to instruct Jayne in proper etiquette as he is training me in proper gun hand methodologies. I am the superior student…"

"Woman…" Jayne growled.

Suddenly she laughed; it was a bright sound that blew away any building tension. Simon found himself smiling also.

The big man still wore a scowl, but it was obvious he was trying not to smile himself.

"Well," Simon started, "thank you for coming Jayne."

The thanked man nodded. Simon shook his head.

"I need to talk to River about her….."

"Bein' a reader?" Jayne supplied.

"So you do know." It wasn't a question.

"She explained it ta me a while ago, Doc. Apparently she's always had some ability, but them Academy _hun dun's _done somethin' ta enhance it."

A bit put out that Jayne knew before him of River's abilities, he decided to leave that for later consideration.

"Does anyone else know _mei mei?" _

"We three are the only one's who are aware."

What followed was a discussion 'tween River and tha Pansy Ass on her ability, how it 'worked', what coulda caused it, how ta 'fix' It etc. There was lots a high falutin' language, Jayne followed some, but not much. He wondered to his ownself why he was even here.

"For support." The young psychic turned to him and squeezed his hand. "And to help with the decision."

"Decision, _mei mei?" _That sounded ominous.

"The Alliance have invested heavily in me, Simon. They have lost their investment and want it back. The Captain knows they want me back, but not really why, or more importantly, how much they desire my return. This 'new' information may make the Captain's decision to keep us on here premature. We may be asked to take ship elsewhere. Or _he _may decide my abilities would be useful in _his _endeavors."

"Then we don't tell him." Simon automatically replied, looking at Jayne. Really, _Serenity's _Head of Security would be the one who made the ultimate choice here.

"Well, he 'aint gonna throw ya off this here boat. And if he does," Jayne took a deep breath, "I'm comin' with ya. Ya brave enough Doc, and ya got good doctorin' skills, but ya wouldn't last a day unless you was mighty lucky. Ain't think ya gonna be that lucky again. Ya sister is comin' along nicely, and may, one day, be able ta look after the both a ya. Until then ya gonna need someone who knows what's what."

Simon was shocked, but deep down not surprised, if he was honest with himself.

"And?" River raised an eyebrow as she looked at the big man.

"What woman? I done told ya. Ya want me ta say it in fronta ya brother?"

She didn't reply, only took his massive hands in her tiny ones.

"Fine!" he grumped. "I ain't gonna leave ya out there by yaself, _jingling. _Where ya go, I go."

"Together." She finally spoke.

"Tagther." Jayne nodded. "Ya got a problem with that Doc?"

"No." he surprised them all, including himself. "I did, well really, I still do." He sighed and shook his head. "But that's _my _problem. I've seen how happy my sister is, and that's my only priority. I have no idea why she seems to have chosen you…"

"Safe." She interrupted. "And sees me as the confident young woman I can be, not the broken one I am." She finished sadly.

Jayne snorted.

"That's _go se, _and I don't wanna hear it again, _dong ma?"_

"See." The girl smiled.

"Well, Doc?" the big man grumped.

Simon was contemplative. His sister seemed to get better with each passing day. The more time she spent with Jayne, the more she returned to her old self. He was good for her, and definitely respected her. And he certainly was protective, and possessive, of her. And the man himself seemed more….civilized as time wore on. No doubt his _mei mei's _doing. It was an odd match, but if the things River had told him she had done were true, and he did not doubt that, she was capable of great violence, and only someone who understood that would be able to cope with her. That didn't seem to bother Jayne at all; in fact he was sure the big man saw it as a plus.

And in any event, we need to stay on _Serenity _to keep out of reach of The Alliance. Jayne was the key to that, he realized. Maybe it could work for all concerned? Simon shook his head internally at his mercenary attitude. Who would have thought _Jayne _would be his _mei mei's _savior whilst _he _was the one seeking the advantage in the situation?

"I wasn't looking forward to this day at all _mei mei_, and I'll be honest and say I'd hope it would never be with you Jayne, my sister is young, I'm not sure about birth control…"

"What?" Jayne spluttered. Now he weren't so sure about tha whole thing. Doc should be threatenin'! It were movin' way too fast, and Doc was right, she was young. He could hear River sigh. Time ta slow this down some. "I'm talkin' about bein' partners. Sure, we's good friends, can't say there's anyone else I'd rather spend time with, but you're right, River is young, and I ain't …."

River was still sighing. So close, _ge ge _was accepting the situation, _Ba__o hu zhe, _however_, _seemed to hesitate. She scanned his mind, allowing herself to do it his once. Too easy. Scared. Too fast. She sighed again. Jayne had managed to rebuild some minor resistance on some flimsy pretence, but for him it was enough. Coward. She knew she could not push it, however, or he would be in full denial.

The Doctor looked at Jayne like he had two heads. Partners? Sure, and I'm the King of Londinium. He was happier though. Perhaps the delay would force River to see the error in this choice, and she…

"Delay, yes, error, no." She said as she let go of Jayne's hands and moved to her brother.

Simon didn't reply, something River said earlier had resurfaced and derailed his 'partner' musings.

"What are you going to do _mei mei _if The Captain wants to take advantage of your abilities?"

The young genius noted the change in topic, realizing this needed to be discussed, and seriously.

Jayne was thankful for the topic change also, not likin' ta be rushed inta anythin'.

"I'm sure The Captain would not take advantage of me. He may avail himself of my services if I offered, that is, if we were able to remain on the ship."

"You don't mean to go out on jobs, surely."

"I do. If you and I, Simon, prove invaluable, he would have no choice but to let us stay."

"_I _ain't gonna allow it. I'm Head a Security." Jayne interrupted. Simon looked relieved, his sister looked disappointed. "Least, not until she's fully trained." He winked at the _jingling. _"I ain't takin' someone, anyone, out on jobs who ain't trained, proper like."

Both Tam's could see the sense in that.

"So here's what we're gonna do. As far as I'm concerned, I don't know nothin' about no readin'. Once your basic trainin' is complete, and I think ya can go on jobs, mebbe then we'll tell Mal. Don't see no reason ta be upsettin' apple carts. So that's settled." Jayne stated as he walked outta the Infirmary, pleased he was able ta steer the conversation away from that a relationships! But he weren't runnin' away from tha _jingling, _though,no sir!

Both Tam's watched him depart with various feelings. Simon was somewhat confused at the entire conversation, but more or less happy with the outcome. No telling Mal. For now. No jobs. For now. And nothing more than partners. _For now, _his mind helpfully supplied. In any event he could use the time to get used to the idea of the two of them as a couple.

River was frustrated. She almost had him, spooked at the last hurdle! Well, now her _Ba__o hu zhe _knew that her _ge ge _had, in principle, no real objections to a relationship. Her brother was ever practical and bowed to the inevitable. He knew she almost always got her way, and in reality he had little choice in the matter.

The petite genius was sure one more push in the right direction, and she would get what she was sure they both wanted, and more importantly, needed.

**Triumph – Planetside – Next Day**

Jayne had come up with a decent tactical plan ta take down the bandits. Rather than have ta go lookin' for 'em, they'd lure them to a secluded spot, and offer take their surrender or their lives. Them bandits would have about three seconds ta decide which was which.

A course The Cap'n had ta put his mark on tha plan, so he'd made a couple a changes. Some made sense, one didn't, but Mal's orders were ta be obeyed.

While Mal and Zoe were meetin' with the local elders ta get the plan approved, Jayne had taken tha _jingling _outside for live fire practice. She was doin' ok, but just ok. Usually she'd be top a tha class by now.

"I am performing below expectations." River sighed as she reloaded _Ingrid's _clips.

"Yep. I think ya tryin' too hard. Any idiot can shoot, but it takes skill and practice ta shoot well. Try again."

River tried her hardest, concentrating as hard as she could, doing a little better this time, but only a little.

"Ok baby girl, try this; don't shoot, but go through tha motions. Close ya eyes, visualize tha target in your mind. Let it flow smoothly, breathe deeply…treat it like a dance."

The young woman tried to relax her mind and body. Slowing her breathing and letting her mind's eye roam free, she went through the motions of shooting each target.

"How'd that feel?" It had looked pretty smooth ta him.

"Less stressful certainly."

"OK, same again, this time, eyes open, no shootin'." He watched her go through tha exercise, he could see she was concentratin' too hard again.

"Damn it!" she cried.

Jayne laughed. The _jingling _rarely used a profanity, usually only when she was havin' a really bad day. Pretty rare these days.

"Do you find this situation humorous Jayne? Your teaching acumen is at stake here! If you find my distress amusing perhaps I should ask The Captain for some private lessons?"

That stopped Jayne laughin', a frown replacin' his previous smile.

"Mebbe that's enough fer today?"

"No, I will not let this beat me." She said with a look of determination on her face.

Usually the big man admired her tenacity; sometimes, though ya just had ta walk away.

"I will put all of your teachings into one smooth movement. Stand by, this will be live fire."

Before he could respond she was moving. Her movements flowed freely, and she started firing. Once she was done, all six targets he had put up had simulated headshots. She walked up to him, smiling.

It took Jayne a second or two ta realize that she had just shot six simulated targets, fair through tha head – and she'd done it with her beautiful chocolate brown eyes closed.

**That Afternoon**

Tha plan had been approved and it was quickly put inta motion. A shipment would be delivered via boat-wagon, and 'someone' had been slack with tha route info.

Two horses were pullin' tha boat-wagon down a shallow river. A husband and wife team were drivin' the contraption, all seemed serene when suddenly four men on horseback burst out of the wooded banks and surrounded the boat-wagon, crime clearly on their mind.

"Pardon me for intrudin'." The ugly leader sneered. "But I believe y'all carryin' somethin' a mine."

"T'ain't yours!" the husband replied.

"Did you think we wouldn't find out ya changed your route?" the bandit leader continued. "Ya gonna give us what due us, and every damn thing else on that boat." He turned his attention ta tha wife, leering'. "And I think maybe you're gonna give me some one-on-one time with that missus."

"Well I think ya might wanna reconsider that last part." The husband, now revealed as Jayne Cobb, said as he raised his head to stare the bandit leader fair in tha eye. "See, I married me a powerful ugly creature."

Said ugly creature was mighty angry at that pronouncement.

"How can ya say that?" the wife asked, raisin'….his head. "How can ya shame me in front a new people?" The wife, one Browncoat Cap'n finished.

"If I could make ya purtier, I would!" Jayne replied.

"You are _not _the man I met a year ago." The Cap'n accused, as tha four bandits looked on, perplexed.

That was tha cue, and before tha four bandits could blink, both Mal and Jayne had drawn their weapons and had them trained on tha bandit leader and his second.

"Now ya think real hard." Mal told the bandit leader as he slowly pulled his bonnet off. "Ya been bird-doggin' this township a while now. They wouldn't mind a corpse a ya." The Cap'n told tha now worried bandit. "Now ya can luxuriate in a nice jail cell, but if ya hand touches metal, I swear by my pretty flowered bonnet, I will end you."

The steely look on Mal's face gave the bandit no doubt he would do what he said.

Tha ugly little bandit leader surveyed tha situation. Two versus four, and we got the angle advantage.

"Take 'em!" he yelled and immediately regretted his decision, as one a his men fell dead to an unseen gun in tha back a tha boat-wagon.

Mal had kept his promise, and soon the bandit leader was floatin' face down in tha shallow river, dead. A spilt second later he was joined by his second, courtesy a Jayne.

That left one bandit, who tried ta flee on horseback. He didn't make it far, Zoe, the unseen gun, takin' him out with a single shot from her Mare's Leg as she sailed through the air, landin' in the shallow water unhurt.

Job done, _Serenity's _trio a gun hands gathered tha four horses, loadin' their now dead riders inta the back a tha wagon and set off for the Township. Shepherd would give the varmints a decent burial, which was more than they rightly deserved.

When they returned ta tha Township, the Head Elder, Gommen, declared a night of celebration in honor of _Serenity's _crew and their successful mission.

Jayne was especially chuffed. His plan had worked ta perfection. Even tha Cap'n wantin' ta be the wife had worked out. Jayne chuckled at the memory a _that _sight. No way Cap'n was gonna wait in tha back a tha boat-wagon while it all went down though.

The party kicked up at sundown. Good food, good booze, good dancin' and even better company. All a the old Firefly's Crew were happy ta take part, it seemed the celebration would be one ta remember.

_Serenity's _Head a Security was enjoyin' hisself a little too much, at least as far as drinkin' booze was concerned. River was watchin' over him, and was rewarded with lots a dancin' and huggin'.

Elder Gommen had come over ta Jayne, wantin' a private word.

"Can I speak with ya for a minute son?" he asked the odd pair.

"Sure, Elder. Git woman!" he said as he slapped River lightly on her petite rear, "but don't go too far, there's more dancin' ta be had!"

The young woman didn't mind, being told to 'git', or especially having her butt slapped. There was something she needed to prepare in any event.

Elder Gommen didn't miss the looks between the two.

"River, isn't that her name?" he asked.

"Yep! Purtie ain't she? And as smart as a whip! Ain't no finer gal in all the 'Verse!" Jayne beamed a genuine smile thinkin' on tha young woman.

"Yes, I'm sure." The Elder smiled. I have something for you Son, here, this is a rain stick." He said as he turned it over, a sound like rain coming from the weird object.

"That's amazin' Elder. Sounds like rain!" A clearly drunk Jayne remarked. "Ain't as amazin' as River, mind….." Jayne frowned as a he concentrated hard. "River, and Jayne. River. Jayne. Say it real fast and ya get rayne besides!" he bellowed at his own joke. "See, I can make rain too!"

Elder Gommen was surprised at the connection the big man made. It made his next words seem almost prophetic.

"Makes the rain come for eternity." He said as he turned the stick over again. "The rain is very scarce, comes only when needed most. And such it is with men like you Jayne, and with women like your young River." He smiled as he passed the rain stick to Jayne.

Exceptin' the stick with pride, the inebriated Jayne looked at it in wonder.

"This is the most…_you, _friend. You're the guy…" he said as he hugged the Elder. "I will treasure this." Jayne told him, as the Elder rose and left him ta his thoughts.

Jayne looked over ta see his Cap'n. He were in awful good spirits tonight as well. They'd shared one or five drinks before River had dragged him away ta dance. It were nice. They was becomin' fast friends now. Jayne smiled as he saw a pretty girl put a crown a daises on Mal's head. Well, with a bit a luck tha Cap'n will be doin' some more celebratin' his ownself later!

Speakin' on pretty girls, the big man was wonderin' where his _jingling _was, when she popped up in fronta him, as she often did.

Yep, tha best girl in tha 'Verse he thought, and was rewarded with a thousand megawatt smile. Purtie, smart, and could shoot like a pro, what's not ta love? The two smiled at each other, everyone else forgotten as tha party continued around them.

_**Serenity **__– _**Cargo Bay – Next Morning – Enroute to Beaumonde **

One man feelin' sorry fer hisself taday was _Serenity's _Head a Security. He'd cut way back on his drinkin' these past few months, but last night Jayne was three sheets ta tha wind. He didn't remember a whole lotta details, but knew he had a good time. Plenty a good food, booze, dancin' with tha _jingling…._it were a good party.

He was nursin' a mighty powerful hangover though. Would have ta see The Doc about a pill or two. Doc was now allowed ta administer minor drugs hisself. Anythin' more serious needed Mal's permission though.

He hadn't yet decided whether ta move or not when tha ship's PA burst inta life.

"This is Zoe. We need _all _personnel in the cargo bay."

Interestin', wonder what's up. Jayne allowed hisself a few seconds a thought before he rose ta his feet and headed fer tha cargo bay.

Within a minute or so, everybody had gathered in tha cargo bay, Jayne noticin' tha _jingling _enterin' with Wash. Oh right, unofficial flyin' lesson. Seems tha girl was no worse fer wear, then again she didn't drink none.

They engaged in their usual starin' contest, with tha recently added smilin' feature, so Jayne missed the reason fer bein' called inta the cargo bay right off.

"Who's the new recruit?" he heard Book ask, and stole his attention away from tha _jingling _ta see what the gorram hell Tha Preacher was talkin' about.

"Everybody," Zoe started as she walked over ta the stranger, a pretty enough redheaded girl, "I want ya all to meet…."Mrs Reynolds!"

'Everybody' was shocked, includin' Jayne his ownself. Well, everybody 'cept tha _jingling, _who was still smilin' at him.

"You got married!" Kaylee squeaked.

"Well, that's, uh….Congratulations!" Doc had a pretty decent sense a humor when ya got used ta it, even if it was a bit dry.

"We'd always hoped you two kids would get together." Wash deadpanned, always ready for a joke. "Who is she?' he asked his Captain, turning serious for once.

"She's no one!" his Captain automatically replied.

_That_ caused the young redhead to burst into tears.

"Captain!" Lil Kaylee was not impressed with Tha Capn's lack a compassion.

Mal advanced on tha young woman, "Would ya stop that?" he implored.

"I'm sorry." She replied in a whisper, trying to stifle her sobs.

"You brute!" Wash's sense of humor had returned.

Lil Kaylee had had enough. She approached the redhead and put her arm around her, tryin' her best to comfort tha new arrival.

"Hey, sweetie. Don't feel bad. He makes everybody cry. He's like a monster."

"I'm not a monster!" the Cap'n shaped monster yelled. "Wash, turn tha ship around."

"Can't." Was the pilot's simple reply.

"That's an order."

"Yeah, but can't."

The Cap'n was exasperated. "What the gorram hell is wrong with you…"

Wash tried to explain.

"The Alliance touched down the second after we left, and there's already a bulletin on the Cortex as to the murder of a prefect's nephew."

Mal shook his head, gorram it! Could this day get any worse.

"That's right," Wash continued, "one of our bandits has family ties. So unless you feel like a walk into a gallows, I suggest we continue on to Beaumonde, and _you…" _serious Wash departed as his humor once again returned, "enjoy your honeymoon!"

Zoe couldn't help but burst out laughin'.

Mal couldn't believe it, "This isn't happenin'", he said ta tha room at large, "and would ya stop cryin'" he ordered his 'wife'.

"For God's sake, Mal." Inara had finally come out of her shock and was incensed.

"Could you be a decent human being for thirty seconds…"

Wash was playing it for any gag he could.

"As one married man to another, I…"

"I'm not married!" Mal yelled. He turned ta tha still sobbin' girl, "I'm sorry. Ya have very nice qualities, but I didn't ever marry ya."

"I believe you did." Book said as he held up a data pad. "Last night."

Mal strode over ta Jayne, he had one question.

"How drunk was I last night?"

"Well I dunno." Jayne replied. "At least as drunk as me and I passed out!"

Not good, Mal thought as he turned back to Book who had begun speakin' again.

"It says here: 'The woman lays a wreath upon her intended', which I do recall actually, 'which represents his sovereignty'."

"That was you?" Mal accused the redheaded young woman.

"And he drinks of _her _wine." Book continued. "And then there's a dance, with a joining of hands. The marriage ceremony of the Triumph settlers it's called. You, sir, are a newlywed." Book finished, smiling.

"What's it say in there about divorce?" the insensitive Cap'n asked Tha Shepherd, causing' the as yet unnamed redhead ta flee tha cargo bay.

Tha women. except again tha _jingling, _started verbally layin' in ta The Cap'n. Jayne weren't interested in that none as he had gone back ta his starin' contest with River, who, Jayne realized, looked like that cat that et tha canary,.

Strange, but she was, sometimes, and that was part a tha reason he liked her so much. It were interestin'. Still, thinkin' back on Triumph as the Cap'n was bullied by tha womenfolk, seemed might easy ta get hitched. All a woman's gotta do is…

River raised an eyebrow at Jayne as they continued to stare at each other. Come on, _Ba__o hu zhe, _you can do it! She thought as she saw Jayne's brow furrow.

_Na, _she wouldn't a, would she? Jayne asked hisself. Tha _jingling _served him plenty a wine, and they danced an awful lot, but he don't remember no flower crown..got me a rainstick, but no…

Mal stormed outta tha cargo bay, and that forced Jayne inta action his ownself.

"I'll be in my bunk." He told no one in particular as he raced, as slowly as he could, ta his bunk.

A Firefly ain't a very large ship, and soon enough he was in his bunk. Still feelin' a mite hungover when he woke this mornin', all he wanted ta do was hit tha shower and get a cup a coffee, not survey his bunk. He weren't even sure where he'd put that dumbass rain stick.

Now he was here ready ta do some surveyin' and he was almost too scared ta look. Almost. Decidin' tha bravest course a action was ta find tha rain stick, it took all a two seconds ta find it. His bunk weren't that big after all. He picked up tha big stick and turned it over, smilin' despite hisself when it made tha rain sound. Tha _jingling _found tha sound fascinatin', she loved rain…

Love. It weren't an easy thing ta admit. Man like him, well no point thinkin' on it. Waste a time, after all. And yet…he looked around his bunk, couldn't see no flower crown, and he was almost disappointed. Almost. 'Cause he was pretty sure he loved tha _jingling. _Didn't really have an idea on that, never havin' loved anyone 'afore, but…

But wasn't that what it was when ya thought more on them and their happiness then yasself? He knew he wanted ta protect her. Wanted ta teach her ta protect herself. He'd do whatever he could just ta get a smile, felt ten feet tall when she was with him, and not whole when she weren't. Even put up with the pansy ass brother, and it weren't really no chore, neither. She'd only been in his life a few short months, and he already knew, in his bones, that he didn't wanna ever be without her.

Still, she was young, but only in years. Certainly all she'd been through was more than almost anyone, man or woman, would go through in a lifetime. Her years were young, but her spirit, her _soul, _seemed ta match his.

Well, no flower crown in his bunk. Sighin', tellin' hisself he didn't really wanna find one anyways, he lay down on his bunk and let tha rain stick drop, where it rolled under his bed.

River lay in her own bed. With The Captain running around the ship chasing, and being chased by, his new 'wife', everyone was basically in hiding. The psychic spared a moment to think on the redhead. Something wasn't quite right there. Moment up, she had matters of far greater import to think on.

By now, she should have received a visit from _Ba__o hu zhe. _But she had not. Confused, she lightly probed their mental link. Jayne was confused, happy, disappointed, relived and not relieved all at once. A conundrum.

About to start dissecting the mystery, she was distracted by powerful thoughts coming from the new girl…Saffron. Nothing concrete, but she sensed deception, and danger. The girl, Saffron, was not what she appeared to be.

Needing to see Jayne and tell him her thoughts on Saffron, she left her room and headed for the Crew bunks, only to almost run smack into the huge man who was coming the other way, a look of determination on his face. Suddenly Saffron and her machinations didn't matter.

"I need ta say somethin'.'" he started, but she interrupted.

"Everyone needs a match. A mate. A doppel."

Noddin', Jayne didn't reply, just took her hands and went ta speak. Again, she interrupted.

"I love you." She earnestly said.

Shocked, but wantin' ta get out tha big speech he'd prepared, all ofa sudden he felt lots a words didn't matter none.

"I love ya too, _jingling." _He replied as he gathered her inta his arms, not carin' if the Cap'n hisself were ta walk inta tha room.

The young psychic, of course, knew this, but it needed to be said aloud for Jayne to deal with his hesitations.

"We'll always take care of each other," River started, "I'll knit!" she finished beaming a beautiful smile up at him.

That caused the big man ta laugh out loud, and he laughed so hard they broke apart.

Which was the young woman's intention. Although _Ba__o hu zhe _might not care if The Captain saw them, The Captain himself was not ready nor in the mood to see such a sight. He had problems of his own, and he and his current problem were about to come down the stairs.

"What's goin' on?" The Cap'n asked the pair, his 'wife' in tow. Mal dwelled on tha fact for a second that when ya saw one, ya almost always saw tha other nearby. Anyways, "I'm goin' ta show Saffron to her quarters," he stated.

The petite young woman would rather spend time with Jayne to explore their new declaration, but having Saffron so close brought the other woman's thoughts foremost into the psychic's mind.

River looked Saffron in the eye, wanting to show how serious she was.

"You're a thief." She declared, and a look of contempt came over Saffron's face for just a second, quickly being replaced by one of deferment and obedience.

"Hey, ho! Let's play nice here." Tha Cap'n ordered.

She looked at Jayne for help, but there was none to be found in this matter. They hadn't been able to have the needed conversation, as yet.

"My cook's got some funny notions." Mal told Saffron.

Jayne knew River wouldn'ta said that without reason. He looked inta her face and saw she knew…somethin', and wanted support. No problems, he'd support her against tha whole 'Verse if need be.

"Cap'n, I think…"

He didn't get any further as _Saffron _now interrupted him.

"I'm sorry." Saffron almost whispered as she pulled a dried protein pack out of her pocket. "I didn't know when I was to be fed. And I was afraid."

"Ya made me that fine meal earlier and didn't eat nothin' yaself?" Mal asked.

"That was for you. And there weren't but pot lickin's left. I took this for later. I didn't know she saw me." Saffron finished, giving River the evil eye once more.

"Didn't see you." River whispered, so only Jayne could hear, and he got it. _Jingling _weren't talkin' about no dried protein meal. Before he could speak, Tha Cap'n now took charge.

"You're startin' ta tick me off," Tha Cap'n looked at Saffron, "I got no use for people sneakin' around takin' what ain't theres."

Seems like mebbe Mal had caught on.

"Yep, we frown on that here." Jayne added.

"But what I got _less _use for." Mal continued, "is a woman who want stand up for herself. Five days hence," he started to lecture the redhead, "we're puttin' ya in tha world, and ya won't last but a day, bowin' and sniffin' for handouts. Ya want somethin', ya take it! Or ya ask for it! Ya don't wait ta be told when ta breathe, ya don't take orders from anyone." Tha Cap'n wasn't quite finished. "'Cept me. And that's only because I'm tha Cap'n, people take orders from Capn's, even in tha world. But for the rest, gorram it, be like a woman is, not some petrified child! Ya understand what I'm sayin' ta ya?"

Or mebbe he hadn't.

"I do." The redhead fairly whispered again.

"C'mon, " Mal continued as he gave the dried protein pack back ta Saffron, "I'll show ya ta ya room."

The Browncoat then left, with the redhead in tow.

"Ya weren't talkin' about no protein pack, were ya?" he asked _Serenity's _cook.

"No, her body screams innocence and purity while her mind screams deception and danger."

"Bad?"

River nodded. "Wants the ship, Crew are not required…."

"Leave it ta me, baby girl." He kissed her and gave her a quick hug, and headed fer his bunk. They had a lot ta talk about, but first he had ta make sure the ship and Crew were safe.

After seein' Saffron safely ta her room, Mal was in need of some solace. He'd thought he'd find it with Inara. They'd been getting' on pretty good lately, and despite tha fact Inara was none too pleased about his new 'wife', he thought spendin' some time with tha Registered Companion would be agreeable. It weren't. They argued, and he stormed outta her shuttle.

"I wasn't lookin' for a fight." He said as he slammed the shuttle door hard. Turnin' ta go ta his own bunk, he was confronted by tha site a his Head a Security. Jayne didn't look happy, and he was totin' a huge gun.

Jayne cocked the mighty gun as he stared down Tha Cap'n. Had ta make him see that tha redhead girl was a threat. How he was gonna explain that without lettin' out the _jingling's _secret he had no idea. Just have ta play it by ear.

"Do I have your attention?" Jayne started, "tha girl's trouble Mal."

"I know, but huge gun worthy?" The Cap'n was confused.

"She ain't what she seems. Caught her snoopin' around the entrance ta the engine room." He lied. He had ta. Couldn't think a nothin' else.

"Prolly just lost." Cap'n weren't convinced.

"No Mal. Six men came ta kill me one time. Tha best a them carried this. It's a Callahan full-bore autolock. Customized trigger, double cartridge thorough gauge. This is tha best and one a tha most expensive guns ever made by man. I call it _Vera._"

Mal just looked bewildered. Where was Jayne goin' with this?

"I had a particular feelin' that day. Was weird. Knew somethin' was comin', was prepared. Otherwise I'd be dead, no question. Until taday, that were tha only time I felt that way."

"Ya sayin' Saffron makes ya feel that way?"

"I am. She ain't right. I had a mighty long conversation with Elder Gommen and what he planned ta pay us with, and it didn't include no woman. How can ya have 10% a that?" he finished.

"I'll own that seems a mite odd, but how can a itty bitty woman be tha same trouble as six men?"

"I dunno Mal. Her face changes when she thinks ya ain't lookin'. She was sneerin' at River when ya had ya back to her, and when ya turned around she was lookin' all cute and cuddly again."

"Why didn't ya say somethin'? Ya Head a Security after all."

"I didn't see it. River did. That redhead creeps her out somethin' fierce too."

Mal shook his head.

"OK, so it ain't actually a normal situation, but what ya want me ta do? Space her? No Jayne, she's just a scared girl. Ya gonna hafta do better than a feelin' and our little Cook catchin' her stealin' a dried protein pack…"

Jayne was almost about ta spill River's secret, but it weren't his ta spill.

"Dammit Cap'n, lemee just…"

"Jayne!" Mal had had enough of this _go se. _"Go play with your rain stick." He said as he went tawards his bunk, plannin' ta turn in. He'd had a long day.

Jayne was angry as he stormed off ta his own bunk. Quickly droppin' down, he turned ta his bunk ta see River sittin' there.

"Hey!" the startled man said. "Ya shouldn't be here."

"And yet I am. You did not manage to convince The Captain." It wasn't a question.

"Nope. Needs more than just a coupla Crew members with a _feng le _feelin'."

Jayne leaned inta his bunk and hung _Vera _in her pride a place.

"We cannot take matters into our own hands but we can be prepared."

"We will be." There weren't really much they could do though and not go against Mal's wishes.

"I am scared, Jayne. Today we should be happy. Not feeling the pressure of imminent catastrophe!"

Sittin' down next ta her, he picked her up and dropped the petite woman inta his lap.

"Whatever happens, baby girl, we'll face it tagether."

She smiled as she laid her head on his shoulder.

"I love you Jayne."

Ha wasn't gonna ask why. Why him, why now? Fer once he just accepted the gift to his life that was River Tam.

"I hope so, 'cause I love ya too. At least I think so, I ain't got much, well I ain't got any experience in this area, but I don't ever wanna let ya go, so there!"

River smiled again. Some women would be annoyed at such a clumsy declaration of love, but she could literally feel the love he had for her. No need to be doubtful of Jayne's true feelings.

They stayed that way for a while, before River made a decision. She turned around and straddled Jayne, looking deeply into his eyes.

"_Ba__o hu zhe, _I do not want to face a potential disaster without having known you."

Jayne was slow ta catch on, but he did.

"Baby girl, that ain't the right reason ta…ta know someone. We's gonna be tagether for a long time, I'm sure a that. So I aim ta do it right. Here's how I see…."

He didn't get any further as once again he was interrupted, this time by his _jingling _assaultin' his mouth with her own. Resistance crumbled, once again, and he responded to her passionate kisses with his own.

They rolled back inta Jayne's bed, mouths intertwined while hands roamed each other's fully clothed bodies.

They broke apart, starin' inta each other's eyes, knowin' that what they had was special, and fragile.

River went to resume her assault when a loud claxon began to sound, breaking the mood.

Instantly aware of tha situation, Jayne told River ta stay where she was while he went ta investigate. No sense both a them runnin' inta an unknown position.

Rushing fer tha Bridge, he saw Zoe desperately tryin' ta wake Wash. Seems he'd been knocked out by someone. The big man didn't need two guesses. While Zoe worked on Wash, Jayne tried ta pry tha Bridge doors open. It were useless, seemed they'd been sealed by somethin'.

River felt Saffron's mind leave _Serenity. _There was no direct danger, now, but she knew from her link with Jayne that Wash had been injured. She leapt up the ladder out of Jayne's bunk and ran to get her _ge ge._

Inara saw her leave Jayne's bunk, but was too focused on getting to Mal to worry about that. She had confronted Saffron as she made her escape and had been told that Saffron was now Malcolm Reynolds widow. Inara was terrified that perhaps Saffron had murdalized the Browncoat.

While tha others fussed over Mal, Jayne had real work ta do. Tha Bridge doors had been sealed, and that meant that _Jien Huo_ Saffron had done somthin' ta tha controls.

"Look away baby girl." He told River as he donned his dark glasses and went ta work on tha sealed door with a laser cutter.

The now fully awake Captain approached the Bridge, the rest of the crew in tow.

It didn't take long fer tha laser cutter ta do its job, it'd been all a ten minutes since this latest crisis began. Jayne wondered why tha redhead had even bothered, hardly seemed worth tha trouble.

Straight away Kaylee and Wash tried ta figure out what sabotage had been done. Jayne and River listened while tha two began ta catalog the damage. They was impressed, it seemed, but Mal weren't.

Inara was impressed too, but for a different reason. Saffron, she was sure, had undergone Companion training, in seduction at the very least.

River and Jayne looked at each other and smiled. They had been right. Well, River had been right, and the big man had believed her without question. It was another reason why she loved him.

Just then the young psychic caught The Captain's eye, and gave him her best 'boob' look. The Captain at least had the good grace to squirm appropriately.

With the combined talents of Kaylee and Wash it wasn't long before partial control was restored to the Bridge. Sensors and the Cortex were working, but still no nav control as yet.

What they were seeing on the screens, though, didn't make sense. There was a lot of electromagnetic interference, and coming right from where Wash had established their saboteur had signaled.

"Electromagnetic interference." Wash said as he pointed at the screen. "Bouncing the signal all over the place. Look at it. Looks like a circle."

Mal's face went ashen as he realized what he was lookin' at.

"It's a net." He stated.

"I don't get it." Jayne looked confused as River tensed beside him. "Where we headed?"

"The end of the line." Book said, as he looked at the Crew with growing concern on his face. "It's a carrion house." He continued, the Crew still looking confused, so he sought to clarify. "Scrap shop. Takes ships, pulls 'em apart, or fixes 'em up."

"Doesn't sound that scary." Wash said, the look on his face showing the lie of that.

Mal thought there was no point in sugar coatin' it. Tha Crew deserved ta know tha truth.

"That pattern you're lookin' at is a net. We fall inta that, we're more than just helpless. It'll turn this ship inta one big electrical conduit and burn us all from the inside out."

The Crew were speechless. River moved close to Jayne and took his hand, holding on tight. He didn't mind none.

"Some of the newer ones," Book added, "will just hold you,, and then the scrappers will override the airlocks. Pull the O2 or just gas you. They're not looking to deal with survivors."

Jayne was first to recover.

"One day you're gonna tell us how a preacher knows so gorram much about crime."

Mal wanted ta know that his ownself, but had other things ta worry about right now.

"Kaylee?"

"I'm tryin', Sir."

"Keep on it. We can't fall inta that net." The Browncoat thought, hard, for a few seconds. "We're gonna need a Plan B." Crossin' the Bridge, he hit the comm. "Zoe, get our suits prepped." He ordered as he turned ta Wash. "I figure we got one shot at this. Gimme a visual as soon as we're close."

"It won't be long." Wash said as he concentrated on the screen.

"What do I do?" Jayne asked his Cap'n.

"Ya go get Vera."

Jayne nodded, squeezed River's hand, then ran for his bunk.

Only a minute or two had passed, and soon the Crew was gathered near the airlock as Mal, Zoe, and Jayne suited up, the big man leavin' his helmet off for now as he loaded _Vera._

Jayne's brow furrowed as he thought on tha plan. Weren't a great plan, but it was all they had. Well, not all.

"Mal?" he called out as he continued ta load _Vera. _"What happens if this don't work?"

"Then we's humped." His Cap'n replied.

"Mal, Cap'n. I have a Plan C, or at least a Plan B+."

"Jayne, we ain't got time…."

"Inara's shuttle." The Head a Security interrupted.

"What about it? It ain't got the range will alla us on board ta get anywhere habitable. Anyways I ain't leavin' tha ship."

"Not talkin' about alla us." He replied as he looked at his _jingling. _"Get the civilians and Kaylee on board, Inara can pilot, Book seems ta know his way around a gun. Tha reduced weight and mass they can make it."

"What if the scrappers go after 'em?"

"Mal, ya said yasself there's a _go se _load a electromagnetic interference. No way they're gonna see a shuttle in alla that. If this works, they can mate up with us on tha other side. If not, at least they got a chance."

Even though the conversation was hushed, River had heard Jayne's intentions from his mind, his walls were lowered somewhat and his thoughts were loud.

"NO!" the young woman yelled as The Captain turned to give the orders for the shuttle launch. "I am staying here! Not going to leave _zhang fu!." _

The others, except Simon, noted, and dismissed River's outburst. There was too much to do, too much to worry on, and not enough time for either to be concerned about the little cook's remonstrations.

Simon went to his sister's aid, but she was inconsolable.

"_Ge ge, _I don't want to leave _zhang fu. _If he does not survive, then I do not wish to, either."

The young doctor wondered why she was still referring to Jayne as her husband, but that could wait for later. Time was short, they had to get on the shuttle.

"Mei mei…" he started but was interrupted by his sisters apparent _zhang fu._

Jayne was fully aware of what was goin' on, and was distressed a mite his ownself. Stormin' over ta his _jingling, _he pulled her inta a hug and she calmed down immediately.

"Don't start with that _go se, _woman. A course I'm gonna survive. It's just a precaution." He half lied. He was pretty sure he could make tha shot, but wanted her safe, just in case. "I ain't gonna die, and I want ya on tha shuttle, _dong ma?"_

He could feel her noddin' slowly.

"JAYNE!" Mal yelled, "Get them civilians off tha ship and get yer gorram helmet on!"

"Now git, woman." He said as he kissed tha top of her head and pushed her ta Simon.

Noddin' ta Tha Doc, he watched tha two Tam's join tha others already on tha shuttle.

Jayne placed his helmet on firmly and felt tha little lurch as Inara's shuttle left _Serenity. _ Good, whatever happens she's got a chance.

Zoe cycled the airlock and the outer door opened. The Captain and The Head of Security watched the door open and waited for the 'net' to come into view.

Heftin' _Vera, _Jayne was pleased to feel the perfect balance a his favorite gun. The Callahan could fire mighty fine in Tha Black, but only fer a few shots. Oxygen weren't no problem, the ammo cartridge contained everythin' it need ta fire. What _was _a problem was a gun needed special lubrication ta work, perfect like, in vacuum. There was no time ta take _Vera _apart and lube her properly. It'd just hafta do.

"What am I aimin' fer, tha window?"

"Well, that might kill some folk," Mal replied, "but it won't short that net. See them six points where it's brightest?" Jayne nodded, they was perfectly clear against the backdrop a Tha Black on tha screen. "Those are the breakers. Hit one a those, should short it out."

"Whattya mean 'should'?"

Mal didn't reply as _Serenity _hurtled tawards the net. It finally came inta view, just as bright and twice as intimidating as it looked on tha screen. The Browncoat looked at Jayne and was might relieved ta have him as his Head A Security. No one else on board could make tha shot, Jayne was their only hope.

"Ya see it?" Mal asked. Dumbass.

"Clear as day." Jayne deadpanned. "_Vera? _Dress yasself up; ya get taken out somewhere fun."

Jayne sighted down _Vera's _main scope, and braced hisself ta fire. Recoil would be a bitch, but he could do this.

Exhalin', he pulled the trigger and _Vera _fired her first round. Tha tracer showed tha bullets path. Down and to tha right. The big man repositioned himself and shot again. A hit! Nothin' happened, so he fired again. Another hit. And a third. He was wonderin' how long _Vera _would last when his fifth shot connected and the breaker shorted.

He breathed a powerful sigh a relief as tha 'net' collapsed.

But tha big man wasn't done yet. Relief turned ta anger as he thought on those who would harm his family, and tha girl he loved; he aimed ta do somethin' about it.

He re-sighted the Callahan on tha window he'd seen earlier. _Control Room. _Must be. "Die you _Ching-wah tsao duh liou mahng's!" Vera _spoke three more times then jammed.

It was enough. Two of the large caliber bullets hit the window, their holes causing the control room to suffer an explosive decompression. The window blew out, and shortly afterwards, the scrappers joined it in the vacuum of space. Their bodies instantly expanded to twice their normal size, and they passed out as their lungs exploded. With a minute they were both dead.

Meantime, _Serenity _had flew, tranquil as her name, through the disabled 'net' and out the other side. The Crew onboard were safe, for now.

Inara's shuttle shortly rejoined the old Firefly, and the reunions were joyous.

Jayne basked in tha congratulations, pleased with the chorus a "great shootin'" and whatnot, but it really it weren't back slappin' that he was most interested in.

River stood apart from the pack, she knew Jayne wanted to speak to her most of all, but he was allowing the Crew to release their pent up anxieties and express their relief first. They all needed it.

"C'mon people!" Mal cried. "Some of us gotta get back ta work. We're outta immediate danger but we still gotta fix tha ship! Kaylee, Wash, get ta the Bridge. Doc, check tha Infirmary. Zoe, Jayne, check and stow tha suits away, Lil River, some breakfast would be most appreciated. Inara.."

"I'll help River, if I could." The Registered Companion interrupted. "I'll start _mei mei…._if you want to.." she motioned to Jayne.

The young cook smiled nodded her thanks.

"Thanks. Well, I got captainy things ta do, ya'll get too it!"

Tha crowd broke up, headin' ta tend ta their individual responsibilities.

"Zo, I'll be with ya in a sec."

"Sure Jayne, but ya ain't gonna dump all this work on me, two minutes I wanna see ya, _dong ma?"_

"Sure Zo, thanks."

The Amazon nodded and walked off, she was plannin' ta make a quick check on Wash before she started anyways.

Tha big man took tha small woman's hands and pulled her under tha stairs, somewhat outta sight.

"I am glad we are back together, _zhang fu."_

"Me too." He said, and kissed her, hard. She flushed red as she responded. "Why ya still callin' me that anyways? Ah, don't matter none, just happy we made it is all."

"As am I." she moved into his embrace, and they enjoyed the sensation, the warmth, that followed.

"Jayne, I weren't jokin!" they heard Zoe call, "Two minutes is up!"

"Gotta go baby girl." He kissed her softly. "I'll see ya soon."

She refused to release him for a few seconds, and he gently pried her away.

"I do not like being apart."

"Me neither, but sometimes we just gotta do what we gotta do. It's tha way a tha 'Verse. Now git, before ya get me inta trouble." He smacked her petite butt as he turned her around and pushed her away.

She smiled as she went to her duties, face slightly flushed.

The rest a the day passed quickly. Wash and Lil Kaylee got partial nav control back, and _Serenity _sped off in pursuit of their wayward shuttle.

Second place they checked, they picked up the shuttle's nav beacon. Wash set the Type 3 Firefly down a coupla clicks away, and before Jayne could weapon up, Tha Cap'n was off on his lonesome. Said he had ta do his his ownself, and wanted tha ship 100% repaired by tha time he got back.

Mal face showed he wasn't gonna tolerate no arguments, so no one tried. Not even Zoe.

Jayne's job whilst they was planetside, at least in this kinda situation, was guard duty. Outside. And it were gorram snowin'.

Two hours. That's how long. Two hours later tha ruttin' shuttle appeared with tha ruttin' Cap'n, not sayin' a word on what had happened.

Truth be told, Jayne was too cold ta really care. A hot shower was what he wanted, and after spendin' some quality time under runnin' water, he retreated ta his bunk fer a nap. He'd catch up with tha _jingling _later, and then give _Vera _some attention.

Droppin' the wet towel in tha corner, instead a tha basket kept fer dirty laundry, he was about ta take his nap when he remembered how River would chide him gently about leavin' dirty stuff lyin' around. Not really carin' about that, but smilin' thinkin' on her, he decided he'd pick up tha towel anyways. 'Cause he wanted ta. Not 'cause she would nag, no sir! Gorram woman…

Reachin' for tha towel he noticed the rain stick pokin' it's head out from under his bed. Grumblin', he knelt down, reachin' under his bed, and got a handful a rain stick.

His hand brushed against somethin' else as well. And he got a whiff a some scent, something like….puttin' the rain stick on his bed, he reached under it again and pulled out, what seemed ta be, an honest ta goodness flower crown.

"Gorram woman." He mumbled as he sat down on his bed, starin' at it, before a hint of a smile appeared on his weathered face.

"_Gorram _woman!"

A/N: So there ya have it. The Marriage Ceremony of the Triumph Settlers. I always liked that one.

Next up is the obviously Jayne centric, Jaynestown, re-imagined.

Chinese:

_Jingling – Pixie_

_Mei mei – Little Sister_

_Ge ge – Big Brother_

_Ba__o hu zhe – Protector_

_Hun duns – Jerks_

_Go se – Crap_

_Dong ma? – Understand?_

_Feng le – Crazy_

_Jien Huo – Bitch_

_Ching-wah tsao duh liou mahng's – Frog humpin' SOB's_


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 13 – Jaynestown**

**A/N This one was actually hard to write. Being very Jayne focused meant I had less room to insert new scenes that would normally happen 'off-screen' while the canon events took place. Lots of Rayney goodness though.**

**I must also apologize as I have been remiss in thanking you guys for your reviews. They're much appreciated, and by all means if anyone has any questions regarding the fic, by all means ask. I don't bite. Ok, I do, but...**

**On with the story.**

**Enroute to Higgins Moon – Planet Harvest – Red Sun Border System – November 2517**

The job was standard; slip past the local law, whatever form that came in, find the contact, secure the contraband, slip past the local law again on the way out, hit The Black, dodge any Alliance patrols, deliver the contraband, and get paid. Or have a shootout first and then get paid. A pretty standard job for the Crew of _Serenity._

Only this time it weren't fer one Crew member; Jayne Cobb. Bein' out in Tha Black so long, and bein' a _hun dun _fer a lotta that time, meant that occasionally ya had ta go back ta places that ya weren't welcome. Fer one reason or another. And fer Jayne Cobb, one a them places was Higgins Moon.

Higgins Moon. A small company owned moon run by Magistrate Higgins. Famous, if that were tha word, fer one thing – mud. Or more rightly, clay, which was then turned ta ceramic. Or whatever. Jayne didn't rightly care, 'cept that the mud made a _go se _load a cashy money for old man Higgins.

Which Jayne stole. Sixty _thousand _credits. Over seven _thousand _platinum. Or enough ta buy two Firefly's like good ol' _Serenity. _It shoulda made tha one time mercenary rich. Shoulda, but in 'tha good old days' things rarely went well fer tha big man.

That is, until he found his new 'family', and over time tha mercenary changed his ways, or mayhaps re-discovered hisself, and was now Head a Security fer tha Type 3 Firefly.

They had no choice though. They needed tha coin, so they needed tha job, so they needed ta go ta Higgins Moon.

That made Jayne all kinds a antsy, which was why he was currently movin' through tha Infirmary like a tornado lookin' fer some heavy duty tape. Instead a just askin'. Well, he was antsy.

Tha Doc did his best open mouthed fish impersonation when he saw tha state a the Infirmary. Was almost worth doin' just fer that.

"What…happened in here?" the Doctor spluttered.

"Needed ta find some tape." Said antsy Jayne.

"So you _had _to tear my Infirmary apart!"

"Apparently." He smirked.

"My god. You're like a trained ape. Without the training."

That kinda comment was usually tha sign fer Jayne ta pound some on tha commentator, but Doc was an exception. Bein' a good Doc, fixin' Jayne up, was all manner a good. But tha Doc was tha _jingling's _brother, and since she was all manner a shiny, tha Doc got a pass. This time.

Jayne continued strappin' the .45 automatic pistol ta his belly, ignorin' tha Doc fer now.

"Jayne." His Cap'n said as he entered tha Infirmary ta check on all tha fuss, "I told ya we're settlin' down at tha Canton factory settlement on Higgin's moon."

"Yep. That ya did."

"Canton don't allow guns in their town."

"Yes Sir, I know. That's why I ain't strappin' one ta my hip."

His Cap'n was not impressed.

"No. That's why ya ain't strappin' one anywhere."

Mal's word was final, but Jayne stopped him as he turned ta leave.

"Oh listen, Mal. I was in Canton a few years back, I made me a powerful enemy thereabouts."

Simon decided sarcasm was called for and joined the conversation.

"Enemy? You? No, how can that be?"

Tha Doc got ignored again, lucky fer him Jayne had more important things ta worry about.

"I just don't like tha idea a goin' in their empty handed is all." Jayne knew it were a lost battle, but he had ta try.

"Why ya still arguin' about what's been decided?" The look on Mal's face showed he was done with this argument.

Jayne ripped tha tape off, throwin' it ta tha ground, and stormed outta tha Infirmary headin' fer his bunk.

He weren't surprised, and he was happy, truth be told, ta find tha _jingling _waitin' fer him. She wrapped her tiny arms around him and held him tight, and fer tha moment his worry was gone.

"Thanks, I needed a hug, was hopin' ta get one." He said as he kissed tha top of her head, not carin' that he sounded all sissified.

"You are not a sissy, _Zhang fu, _as long as I am the only one you wish to receive hugs from. Hugs from anyone else," she started, "would make you all manner a unmanly." She finished, mimicking his voice as she often did to lighten the mood.

As usual, it worked, as Jayne let out a full laugh, a large smile broadening on his face.

"What would I do without ya?"

"You would go back to being a mean, grumpy, _old _man." Now it was her turn to laugh, and she did so lightly into his chest.

Jayne loved ta hear her laugh, sounded like sunshine fer his ears.

Sitting down on his bed, she climbed onto his lap and looked him in the eye.

"Don't worry, Z_hang fu, _I don't feel any disaster looming on Canton."

_Zhang fu. _Husband. Well, it seemed she had 'married' them on Triumph usin' that Triumph Settlers Ceremony. Tha big man hadn't quite accepted that yet, but it was getting' awful hard not ta just give in and let her have what she wanted. 'Cause he was almost sure that's what he wanted too. Almost.

What he _did _know, certain like, was that he didn't ever wanna be without her.

"I hope not baby girl. But just in case, I want ya ta stay on tha ship. Don't leave unless it's a dire emergency or somesuch, _dong ma?"_

"On one condition."

"Oh?" he said as he raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"Kiss me." She said.

And he did.

**Higgins Moon – Landing Pad – Morning**

The stench of Canton and its 'mud' pits hit the Crew as Zoe lowered the main ramp of the cargo bay.

"Canton really…stinks." Simon as usual, was expert at stating the obvious.

"That's what makes it such a great drop point." said Mal. "No one comes here that doesn't have to."

"I vote we do this job really, _really _fast." Chimed in Wash, sense of humor intact,

The Cap'n went on ta explain tha job. They'd search fer their contact, a fella named Kessler, and fer a change Wash, Lil Kaylee, and _Tha Doc, _a all people, were comin' on tha job. This time Zoe got to babysit tha ship, she didn't mind none as Canton's stink really ailed her.

Simon, playin' the fancified Core man he was, would pose as the 'mud buyer', which were Mal's diabolical plan ta get past tha local law, or more like thugs, that ran tha clay/mud pit mining operation.

_Serenity's _Head a Security, wearin' a 'disguise', consistin' of large jacket, hood, and goggles, looked over ta his _jingling. _He always loved tha way she looked when natural sunlight hit her face. Lit it up like an angel, and so it was now. Tha smile she gave him as she picked up tha thought didn't hurt none either. Wantin' ta kiss her right then and there, but unable ta as the Cap'n and tha merry band had ta set off fer tha meet. Their eyes met one last time as he waved at her, she smiled again, and Zoe closed tha ramp. Sighin', he set off with tha others.

Soon enough, they ran inta what passed fer tha local law. Tha Foreman; more like an enforcer.

Tha Doc went inta his buyin' spiel, and Jayne would like ta say his 'brother in law' was a fine actor. 'Cept he weren't. He were awful. Lucky, the Foreman weren't exactly the sharpest tool in tha shed, so he went back ta insultin' the indentured workers while tha gallant Crew went in search a their contact.

Jayne didn't think Simon's actin' job was up ta scratch, a course he had more ta worry on than tha others.

"Boy's gonna get us killed. Let's just do this job and git!"

"His disguise ain't half as funny as yours." Tha Browncoat told tha big man. "Who're ya supposed ta be anyway?"

"You haven't been here in years Jayne." Wash added. "You really think you need that getup? No one's going to remember you."

Mal's face dropped as they entered what passed for Canton's town square.

"I think it's possible they might." He said as there, right in tha middle a the town square, in pride a place, was a life sized statue of _Serenity's _Head a Security. One Jayne Cobb.

The entire Crew were stunned, no more so than Jayne hisself. Strangely enough it were the fancy Core Doc who spoke first.

"Son of a bitch!" the Doctor unexpectedly cussed.

"Jayne?"

"Yeah Mal?"

"Ya wanna tell me how come there's a statue a you here lookin' at me like I owe him somethin'?"

"Wishin' I could Cap'n."

"No, seriously, Jayne, ya wanna tell me?" Cap'n was disbelievin' what his own eyes were seein', and he wanted answers.

Jayne sincerely had no real answers his ownself.

"Look, Mal, I got no ruttin' idea." Jayne began, exasperated. "I was here a few years back, like I said. Pulled a second-story, stole a lotta scratch from tha Magistrate up on tha hill. But things went _way _south. I had ta hightail it. They don't…put ya in a pedestal in town square fer that."

"Yeah, except I'm lookin' at some fair compellin' evidence says they do." Cap'n couldn't stop starin' at the statue a Jayne.

"This must be what going mad feels like." Doctor had left his cussing behind but was definitely non-plussed by what he was seeing.

Wash, of course, had to make light of the situation.

"I think they captured him, though – you know…captured his essence."

"Looks sorta angry, don't he?" Kaylee helpfully supplied.

"That's kinda what I meant." Wash deadpanned.

The shift change siren blasted, spookin' Jayne somewhat. Truthfully, he was just as flummoxed as tha rest a tha Crew. He was sure he was gonna be noticed and hauled off ta face tha Magistrate at any second. He knew it weren't likely ta happen, but it weren't likely that there'd be a statue a him here neither. And yet, here it was. Time ta move.

"Oh hey, I got a an idea. Instead a us hangin' around, playin' art critic till I get pinched by tha Man, how's about we move away from this eerie-ass piece a work and get on with our ever increasingly eerie-ass day, how's that?"

"I dunno." Mal said, finally comin' to grasp with tha idea of a statue a Jayne. "This here's a spectacle might warrant a moment's consideration.

"Everywhere I go," Kaylee whispered, "his eyes keep followin' me."

_Serenity's _Head a Security couldn't believe that the Cap'n and tha rest a tha Crew weren't takin' this seriously.

"Come on, gorram it!" he cried. "We got a job. Let's go ta it, and get tha hell outta here." Jayne paused, hopin' tha others would take it more serious like. "I crossed the gorram _Magistrate _a this Company town, understand? He ain't exactly a forgivin' sorta guy!"

_**Serenity – **_**Kitchen – Same Time**

River was bored. It didn't take much to bore the young genius, and with Jayne and the others on a job there was little to do. Being an uncontrolled environment, what with being a fugitive from the law and all, planetside was not a place River was able to go all too often. Of course the trouble on Jiangyin had done nothing to change this. Even if the fault lay squarely with The Captain, not the young woman.

For that reason River preferred The Black. In addition to her mundane cooking duties, lessons excepted, there was aviation and engineering instruction. Her most precious moments, however, were those with her _Zhang fu, _and until her gun hand training was complete, _and _The Captain persuaded, she would not be able to spend much time with him planetside.

She smiled as she thought of Jayne. Her very dear, mostly sweet, sometimes grumpy, all times manly, Head of Security.

Of course she'd felt Jayne's spike of shock, which quickly turned to confusion, but the young woman wasn't worried about that. Although she didn't know the cause, _Z__hang fu's _level of apprehension didn't rise too much, so if he wasn't overly worried, nor would she be. Also feeling the shocked amusement of the other Crew had confirmed there was no further danger, as such, to her man and the others.

_Her _man. He was, and always would be, as she would be his. The young psychic relished the thought, but would Jayne? Did he realize the burden that she was? That she always would be? Not only hunted by The Alliance, perhaps for all time, but she was not fully sane, with little chance of that changing either.

Although she loved him with all her heart, she was using him. Jayne was the island of sanity in which she anchored her own mind. Ever since she had used the image of him as _Ba__o hu zhe, _now replaced by the man himself, she had used him. And would, _must, _continue to do so, as it was the only way she could continue to have some semblance of normalcy.

Would he even care though? He loved her, she was sure of that, but she wasn't sure if he knew exactly what he had gotten himself into. Jayne would face that realization at some stage, and hopefully they could work through it together.

With that dilemma no closer to being solved, River was bored again. What could a somewhat crazy bored genius do? The Shepherd had left his Book of No Sense on the table, perhaps this dilemma she could solve?

With most of the Crew on a job, save Zoe who was watching over the ship, The Shepherd had decided to keep watch on River. When Jayne was off the ship, the girl was far less stable. Book didn't think he'd ever get used to the odd relationship, but for some reason the ex-mercenary seemed to be what the girl needed. Strange, but The Lord _does _work in mysterious ways.

"What are we up to, sweetheart?" he asked as he entered the kitchen. River would often do odd things at times like these.

River had felt The Shepherd approach and speak with her. 'Sweetheart'? She was neither a little girl nor in a relationship with The Shepherd. She was not his 'sweetheart.' Very inappropriate term.

"I am fixing your Bible."

"I, um….what?" He was expecting an odd answer, but this threw him.

"Bible's broken. Contradictions, false logistics – doesn't make sense."

The girl genius continued to mark these conundrums for later study, tearing out the appropriate pages as she worked.

"No, no. You can't fix…"

"So we'll integrate non-progressional evolution theory with God's creation of Eden." River interrupted. "Eleven inherent metaphoric parallels already there. Eleven, important number. Prime number. One goes into the house 11, 11 times, but always comes out one. Noah's Ark is a problem." River told The Shepherd as she finished.

"Really?" Book said as he shook his head.

"We'll have to call it 'early quantum state phenomenon'." She stated. "Only way to fit 5000 species of mammal on the same boat." She finished as she tore out another page.

"Give me that!" Book had had enough of the abnormal behavior. "River, you don't…fix the Bible."

"It's broken." Couldn't he see it? It was obvious. "Doesn't make sense." She told him in her best 'boob' voice.

"It's not about making sense." He told her. "It's about believing in something and letting that belief be real enough to change your life. It's about faith. You don't fix faith, River. It fixes you." He told the young woman earnestly as he tried to pry the torn pages of the Bible from her hands.

River had faith – in Jayne. And he had 'fixed' her. But The Shepherd still wasn't getting these pages back, she had to work on the mystery,

Knowing there was no sense in having a tug-of-war over torn pages, Book let her keep them, for the moment.

"You hang on to those, now."

**Mudder's Bar – Early Evening**

They'd finally moved away from that gorram statue and had landed in tha town bar, lookin' fer their contact. Jayne was pleased; he needed a drink somethin' fierce.

Once they'd all got their drinks, they took a table in tha corner ta scope out the bar and hopefully spot their contact. Tha big man was still perplexed by that statue though.

"Can't be a statue a me! No reason fer it. Flies in tha face a every kind a sense."

"Won't argue with that." His Cap'n agreed.

Wash took a sip of his drink and immediately spit it out.

"Z_he shi she me lan dong xi?_"

"Mm-hmm." Jayne smiled at tha little man. "They call it 'Mudder's Milk'. All tha protein, vitamins, and carbs of ya Grandma's best turkey dinner – plus 15% alcohol." Tha big man took a large gulp a his drink. He liked tha stuff.

Wash didn't.

"It's horrific!"

Simon started sayin' some _go se _about Egyptians on Earth-That-Was drinkin' somethin' similar. Jayne didn't pay him no mind as he spotted a kid starin' at him. He hoped it didn't mean what he thought it did.

"Shake ya head, boy. Ya eyes are stuck. Git!"

Tha boy started and ran. Jayne felt a little bad, but better than feelin' a lot creepafied.

Tha Head a Security wasn't tha only one who spied someone a note.

"Well, what's a gussied-up fella like ya doin' in a place like this?" he said to hisself as a well dressed man approached. Mebbe tha contact?

"You wouldn't be looking for Kessler?" the Well Dressed Man said as he eyed the Crew.

"Just havin' a brew." The Cap'n replied, cool as ya like.

"I knew a Kessler." The Man stated.

That drew Mal's attention. "Knew?"

Tha Cap'n bantered back and forth with tha Well Dressed Man. Apparently Kessler had been done in by tha local law, and tha WDM had tha goods and was willin' ta trade. Good, Jayne thought, sooner we get tha goods sooner we get off this rock.

"I advise we all just lay low for the moment." The WDM finished as the deal was agreed on.

Suddenly, a low profile didn't seem on tha cards as the bar busker began ta sing.

"_JAYNE!"_ he bellowed.

"_Yee-soo ta ma duh." _Tha man in question replied softly ta hisself.

"_Tha man we call JAYNE!"_ the singer continued.

"_He robbed from tha rich and he gave ta tha poor_

_Stood up ta Tha Man and he gave him what for_

_Our love for him now ain't hard ta explain_

_Tha Hero of Canton, tha man they call JAYNE!"_

The Crew, even Jayne his ownself, couldn't believe it. He sat open mouthed while tha whole bar joined in with tha singin'. It weren't over though.

"_Our Jayne saw tha Mudder's backs breakin'_

_He saw tha Mudder's lament_

_And he saw tha Magistrate takin'_

_Every dollar and leavin' five cents_

_So he said 'Ya can't do that ta my people'_

_He said 'Can't crush them under ya heel.'_

_Jayne strapped on his hat_

_And in five seconds flat_

_He stole everythin' Boss Higgins had ta steal._

"Um…Jayne?" Mal turned to tha big man, shock evident on his face.

"Yeah Mal?" an equally dumbfounded Jayne replied.

"Ya got any light ya'd like ta share on this development?"

"No, Mal."

"No," Simon began, stunned, "_this _must be what going mad feels like."

The whole bar erupted again in chorus.

"_Our love for him now ain't hard ta explain_

_Tha Hero of Canton, tha man they call JAYNE!"_

It _still _weren't done as the singer loudly continued.

"_Now here is what separates heroes_

_From common folk like you an I_

_Tha man they call Jayne_

_He turned 'round his plane_

_And let that money hit sky."_

That last line explained it all in Jayne's mind.

"Oh, I'll be gorrammed! That's where that cash went!" Jayne was sure now. "I stole that money from Higgins, just like tha song says. Lifted me one a his shuttles. But I got tagged by anti-aircraft, started losin' altitude." Tha Crew was listenin' with rapt attention. "Had ta dump them strongboxes ta stay airborne."

Tha big man shuddered at tha memory and took a chug a his Mudder's Milk 'afore he continued. "Oh, 60,000, untraceable. And I drop it right square in tha middle a mud-farmer central!"

Most a tha Crew, even tha Cap'n, were speechless. Wash, though, had his customary quip.

"We gotta go to the crappy town where _I'm _the hero!"

Tha whole Crew, includin' Jayne, looked around the bar in disbelief as the song came ta a rousin' end with tha whole bar singin' along.

"_Tha Hero of Canton_

_Tha man they call JJJAAAYYNNNNEE!"_

_**Serenity – **_**Same Time**

The young genius had tried to solve the puzzles of the Bible, but to no avail. Defeated, she headed to The Shepherd's room to return the torn pages.

"Hello?" she called out timidly.

"In here River." Book replied.

"I'm…," she began, stepping into his room, "I tore these out of your symbol and they turned into paper. But I want to put them back, so…"

"I'm sorry, what's that?" Book said as he turned to face the young woman, his hair all frazzled, the usual ponytail nowhere to be seen.

River screamed at the site. It was truly frightening.

"River! River, come back."

She ran from his room screaming, passing a confused Zoe on the way.

"Preacher," she cried, as she turned into his room, what tha hell did ya sic on…" she stopped in her tracks, stunned, at tha sight a Book's hair. "Woah!"

**Mudder's' Bar**

Tha big man was desperate. Didn't want no reputation. Reputation's got ya noticed. Bein' noticed got ya killed.

"Cap'n, now they's off tha subject a me, shouldn't we be getting' the hell outta here?"

"I'd say that's a reasonable request," Mal said, risin', "considerin' tha circumstances."

"Ruttin' Mudders" Jayne cursed as tha Crew headed up and outta the bar.

They didn't make it past tha entrance as tha whole population a tha gorram Mudder town, seems like, was there, waitin'.

"JAYNE!" tha lotta them fairly screamed as the big man appeared.

Clappin' their hands, screamin' and hollarin', they began ta chant.

"Jayne Jayne Jayne Jayne Jayne Jayne Jayne!"

Now he weren't no coward, but tha big man did what he thought best. He turned around and head back inta tha bar, intendin' to get hisself mighty drunk.

"Gimme some milk!" he demanded, and was rewarded with a bottle a Mudders' Milk.

"Don't ya understand?" a man suddenly yelled. "He's come back. It's Jayne!"

A flash a recognition came over tha barkeeps face and he swiped tha bottle a Mudder's Milk from Jayne's hands.

"What tha..?" Jayne began as the bottle flew down the bar.

"Hero of Canton won't be drinking' that _c__hou ma niao_. He drinks tha best whiskey in tha house!" the barkeep beamed as the crowd in tha bar started doin' some whoopin' and hollarin' a their own.

Still unsure a what ta do, Jayne took tha whiskey and began ta drink, despite tha continual back slappin' he was currently receivin'.

Also unsure was his Cap'n, who came back down ta tha bar headin' for his Head a Security, only ta be stopped by a hand on his arm. It were tha Well Dressed Man a no name.

"What the hell's going on?" WDM demanded. "This how people lay low where you're from?"

"Not generally, no." Mal replied.

"Listen, friend," WDM continued, his tone anything but friendly, "I came here to make sure a deal went down solid, not to get chopped up by the Canton prod crew and fed to the bog!"

"I understand your concerns, _friend," _Mal began as he pried WDM's grip offa his arm, "This here's all part of our new plan." Tha Browncoat smiled without humor at the WDM as he turned his back ta him ta see what tha gorram hell was goin' on with Jayne.

Lil Kaylee had overheard tha last part.

"Cap'n, how exactly is this part…"

"Still workin' on tha details." Mal interrupted as they watched Jayne bein' fawned over like royalty.

"Ta Jayne!" A Mudder yelled.

"Ta Jayne!" The bar chorused.

"Ta me!" Jayne bellowed, actually startin' ta enjoy hisself. Or mebbe tha whiskey..

"Ta tha Mudders!" Jayne cried.

"Ta tha Mudders!" the Mudders replied, with much cheerin' and hollarin'.

_**Serenity – **_**Cargo Bay – Same Time**

No longer bored, River was too freaked out by The Shepherd's hair for that. She, had, however, taken to hiding and ranting.

"They say snow on the roof was too heavy." The young psychic mumbled to herself. "They say the ceiling will cave in. His brains are in terrible danger." She hypothesized.

"River?" Book wasn't sure what had set the girl off but he was determined to find out. "Why don't you come out?"

"No! I can't. Too much hair."

"Is that it?" Book asked, exasperated.

Zoe seemed to share River's opinion.

"Hell, yes, Preacher! If I didn't have stuff to do, I'd be in there with her."

"It's the rules of my order." the clearly affronted Shepherd replied. "like the Bible, it symbolizes…"

"Uh huh." Zoe wasn't in the mood for a religious lecture. "River, honey? He's putting the hair away now."

River was unconvinced.

"It doesn't matter. It'll still be there…waiting."

Zoe was about to reply to the girl when her Cap'n walked in, all on his lonesome.

"Mal, Bernoulli's chomping at the bit. Says he wants his merchandise yesterday. "Where's Wash and the others Cap'n?"

"Yeah well, we still got a few wrinkles ta work out on tha deal. By the way, Jayne's some kinda local folk hero." Mal said, shakin' his head. "He's got a song and everythin'."

Zoe didn't believe it, and where was Wash anyway?

"It's true!" Mal declared.

"You tellin' me that Jayne is a…"

"True enough." Mal interrupted. We can use it, anyway. I talked a few pillars a tha Mudder Community inta havin' a little Jayne Day celebration in tha town square tomorrow. It should buy us enough of a distraction ta get tha stolen goods out from under tha Foreman and his crew a prods."

Zoe looked at Mal, open mouthed. Was he serious?

"Wash is back in town takin' in the Jayne-lovin atmosphere. I'll stand guard if he wanna go and partake in tha festivities." Mal smirked.

The Amazon weren't interested in any Jayne lovin' atmosphere, but she did want to see what was goin' on, and she wanted ta be with Wash.

"Thanks Cap'n, I'll be sure ta go check it out." Zoe said as she went ta leave, only ta be stopped by the sudden appearance of tha young cook.

River had felt the rising level of amusement of the Crew in relation to Jayne. And folk hero? Seriously? Still hiding, she allowed her mind to wander and quickly connected with Jayne. It seemed to be true! River frowned as Jayne's mind was assaulted by a wave of lust from a nearby female. He wasn't in the least bit interested, but the woman's thoughts were loud and they were of Jayne. The Mudder woman wished to seduce him! A dire emergency.

Rage built and she stormed out of her hiding place.

"I would also like to witness this, Captain." She kept her voice as even as possible.

"I'm not sure little cook if that's such.."

"Oh let her come." Zoe interrupted. "I'll keep an eye on her and Simon is there anyway."

The Browncoat looked from one woman ta tha other and did tha only thing he could do. He caved.

"Fine. No drinkin' Mudders Milk, _dong ma?"_

"Sure Sir." Zoe replied as River nodded. Whatever the hell Mudder's Milk was.

_Serenity's _First Mate and Cook waved as they headed outta tha cargo bay and inta tha night ta find their men.

It didn't take long to find the Tavern as most of the town seemed to be there. Well, it shouldn't have taken a long time, but as the two women crossed the town square they came across the statue of The Hero of Canton, Jayne Cobb.

After getting' over her original shock, Zoe thought it was hilarious. Jayne, a hero!

River, who already thought of Jayne as her hero, was suitably impressed. Time was of the essence however as the Mudder woman was in need of a lesson on the concept of ownership!

Following the raucous noise, they soon arrived at the Tavern, Zoe heading for a clearly drunk Wash whilst River zeroed in on her _Zhang fu. _ He was easy to find as he was the centre of attention. Also easy to find was the woman who had her eyes on Jayne.

Said woman took Jayne's empty glass and turned to the bar to get it refilled. Drink refilled, the woman turned back towards the big man, and River expertly glided in between them, stole the glass from her hand and, using the woman's own momentum, pushed her towards the side of the tavern where she landed on her posterior, shocked.

Jayne was wonderin' where his next drink was. Tha glass would just be taken from his hand and would reappear but a short time later, full. He didn't care none who was doin' the fillin', 'cept they were takin' awful long this time.

Tha drink appeared in front a his face, but before he could take it he felt a warm, soft, woman shaped body press inta his side. Now he vaguely remembered some Mudder woman bein' tha drink refiller, but he weren't interested. Wishin' his _jingling _was here for about tha 100th time, he looked down ta push tha Mudder woman off him when he saw it weren't no Mudder woman, it where tha _jingling _in question. She'd popped up on him, again.

Damn if she weren't tha finest gal in tha whole gorram 'Verse!

A course he did what come natural, he kissed her, hard, and she gave as good as she got.

"Whatchya doin' here, baby girl?" he breathed as they broke apart. "Mal's gonna be powerful angry."

"The Captain has given his permission. I came with Zoe. Someone," River nodded towards the now glaring Mudder woman, "needed a lesson in the concept of ownership." River glared right on back at the Mudder woman, 'MINE!' was clearly the message and the look on the young woman's face brooked no argument.

Tha Hero a Canton saw tha looks being' exchanged between tha two and was right chuffed.

"That's my girl!" he said as he kissed her again.

River beamed him a 1000 megawatt smile at the public pronouncement as the big man put his arm around her and pulled her in tight. It was nice. Feeling eyes on her, she turned her head to see her clearly drunk _ge ge _and Kaylee looking at her wrapped in one of Jayne's massive arms.

Simon, of course, knew, so he just waved. Kaylee was surprised, at first, but when she saw Simon smilin' and wavin' at tha pair she relaxed. _Odd, _she thought, but the more she considered it, the more she thought it weren't. The big man and the petite cook had been almost inseparable these past couple a months, and if Jayne has taken ta lookin' after River, well, that leaves Simon for me! At that, the young engineer also smiled and waved. Shiny all around!

Jayne was havin' a wonderful time. Bein' a hero was nice, free booze were nicer, but havin' his girl with him was tha best a all. Still, he wanted ta know more about why he _was _a hero. He was sure he didn't deserve it none.

"So," he asked one of the Mudder's, "the Magistrate, he let ya folks keep all that cash?"

"He did." A young Mudder confirmed. And it pained him, that's fer sure." The Mudder smiled widely. "When he found out, he sent his prods in ta take it back from us, but tha workers resisted."

"Fought the law, huh?" Jayne smirked. Good on 'em.

The young Mudder thought on it fer a second or two.

"If the Mudders are tagether on one thing, there's too many a us to be put down. So in tha end, he just called it a bonus."

"That's one helluva bonus!" Jayne said as he kissed tha top a River's head. She squeaked in delight.

"And then," the young Mudder continued, "when we put that statue a ya in tha town square, he rolled in, wanted ta tear it down. But the whole town rioted."

The big man was genuinely touched.

"Ya guys had a riot? On account a me? A real riot?"

The young Mudder nodded and smiled, clearly taken with Tha Hero a Canton.

"I can't believe you're back." He said, with what mayhaps be a tear in his eye.

Jayne looked him fair in the eye.

"How could I stay away?" he said as he hooked his other arm around the young Mudder.

Tha thought was authentic, even if it shouldn'ta been. Nothin' like this had ever happened in his life a'fore. Most time Jayne Cobb were nothin' but an add on, an accessory, ta the events around him. This time, though, he was tha main attraction. He liked it, kinda, or mebbe it was just the whiskey talkin'?

River didn't mind being only one half of a Jayne Cobb hug. Her big man was genuinely happy, if still confused deep down. He was wondering what happened to his partner. The young psychic, knew, of course, all the details of the entire episode. Yes, what _had _happened to Jayne's partner in crime at the time, Stitch Hessian? River had an uneasy feeling that they would find out, and it wouldn't be pleasant.

She was brought out of her thoughts as she found herself being raised off the ground and kissed again, this time with overwhelming passion. She responded in kind.

"I think it's time ya and me had some alone time." Her _Z__hang fu _whispered into her ear. Without waiting for a reply, he lifted her easily into his arms and headed for the upstairs rooms. Could it be? Would we….

Tha barkeep had told Jayne he'd be honored if tha big man would be his guest fer tha night, in tha best room.

Kickin' open tha door, he stormed over tha threshold, slammin' tha door shut behind him with his foot. He gently lowered her ta tha ground, then not so gently pulled her inta a sharp embrace, before assaultin' her mouth with his own.

They kissed for a while, before Jayne picked her up once more and strode ta the bed, throwin' her onta it. He kicked off his boots and joined her on tha bed, strokin' her hair lightly and starin' inta her deep chocolate eyes.

"You are so beautiful, baby girl." he said, clearly. She smiled one a her beautiful smiles at him, and he knew he'd do anythin' fer her.

"I love you, _Zhang fu." _She whispered as she locked her chocolate eyes onto his cobalt blue's.

"I love you, _Ai ren." _He replied as he kissed her gently.

River was ecstatic. _Ai ren! _It seemed her _Zhang fu _had finally accepted that she was his _Ai ren! _Further thought was derailed as he resumed his kissing assault, the young woman giving as good a she got in that battle.

Jayne reached behind his _Ai ren _and slowly pulled down tha zipper of her dress. It fell off her shoulders easily, and tha big man finally saw what he had been dreamin' about fer a while. River Tam's, no River _Cobb's,_ soft, creamy white skin in all its magnificent glory. He hesitated at tha sight. Did he have tha right ta defile such pristine beauty?

His _Ai ren _sensed his hesitation as he stood, and as she matched his pose, her dress pooled at her feet. River didn't give him time to think further, she pulled him down into a long kiss, swiftly pulling his t-shirt over his head as they broke apart.

They stared at each other, as they often did, but in this particular staring contest there would be no losers.

Her hands flew to his belt, which she dispatched easily. Another quick move and his pants were free, also pooling at his feet. River noticed him sway as they kissed again, hands roaming over each others bodies.

He pushed her back onta tha bed, determined ta make love ta his beautiful _Ai ren, _and she pulled him down onta tha bed as well as she fell.

Landing heavily on her, River was surprised, confused, and then alarmed when nothing further happened. Her _Zhang fu _had not suddenly expired, he was alive, breathing, and then suddenly…lightly snoring. _Zhang fu _was sleeping? How? She rolled him over with considerable effort as she processed the situation. He had imbibed _copious _amounts of alcohol. That must have caused him to lose consciousness. Stupid _Zhang fu! _

She punched and prodded him, determined to wake him so they could continue their endeavors. It was urgent that they consummate their marriage; she _needed _to have him fully. It was to no avail, he could not be roused. _Stupid, __idiotic,_ _Zhang fu! _Slapping him, hard, in the head, and determined to salvage what she could of the night, she cuddled in as close as she was able and did the only thing she could. Within minutes the young cook joined her apparently brainless husband in sleep.

**Daybreak – Mudder's Bar Rooms**

They awoke next morning, and she was happy to find that in the middle of the night he had wrapped her in his arms. She felt safe, and rested. And then angry.

"_Stupid, idiotic, brainless, dim witted Zhang fu! _WAKE UP!" she screamed as she slapped him again. He started to stir as she wiggled her way out of his embrace, and was fully dressed by the time he opened his eyes. His loss.

"Ah, uh..what.." he mumbled as he sat up. "What's goin' on woman?"

"Not speaking to you. Get dressed. Job will be completed today. Captain is waiting for you downstairs." The look on her face was stern.

It made Jayne squirm, a bit.

"Aw, come on, baby girl." He went to hug her and she deftly slipped out of his grasp.

"_Zhang fu _must apologize for his lack of performance."

Lack of performance? What the gorram hell, no one accuses Jayne Cobb a that! Still a little drunk, he began ta get angry until he looked at his _jingling _and saw tears formin' in her beautiful eyes.

"I'm sorry, _Ai ren."_ And he was. Not sure _exactly _what he was apologizing fer, and not wantin' ta know the _exact _details, but he saw the tears in her eyes and knew it was because a him. Made him feel all sorts a small.

_Ai ren! _River brightened immediately at that. It seems the night was not a total loss.

"You are forgiven." She said, blinking away her tears.

"C'mere." He said as he opened his arms, and she fair flew inta them. Her moods could swing about in a second, and he actually found that endearin', if a bit confusin' at times.

"We must go. Kaylee and _ge ge _are in an argument, and The Captain is close to losing what remains of his patience."

"Then let's go." Walkin' outta tha room and down tha stairs, he put his arm around her and his good mood returned, as did his singin' voice.

"_My love for me ain't hard ta explain_

_Tha Hero a Canton_

_Tha man they call…MMMMEEE!"_

Lil Kaylee and Tha Doc stopped their arguin' as they saw Jayne and River comin' down tha stairs, both smilin'. The fightin' couple stopped their battle, temporarily, as the other couple swept inta tha room. Simon and Kaylee, both thinkin' the same thing, smiled at their respective _mei mei _and adopted _ge ge, _getting' smiles in return, but also a shake a tha head from River.

The Cap'n had noticed them comin' down tha stairs tagether, a course, but not makin' tha connection, or more correctly not _wantin' _to make it, as he had a deal ta do and both ends a tha deal were puttin' powerful amounts a pressure on him ta get it done, quick like.

"Eggs." Jayne suddenly pronounced. "The livin' legend needs eggs. Or mebbe another milk."

"No, tha livin' legend needs ta come with us." Mal's patience was gone. "He's got a little appearance ta make."

"He does?" Jayne had no idea what Mal was talkin' about.

"That's right, " Mal confirmed, this job's gone on way past long enough."

"Yeah, all right." Jayne grumped. "Come on, baby girl," he said givin' River a little squeeze, "I got me important hero-type stuff ta do."

Mal turned and went ta leave, his Head A Security and Chief Cook followin'. His Engineer also followed, but when his Doc tried ta join tha group, said Engineer was less than impressed.

"Mmm, I don't think so." Seems their argument weren't over. "No, mebbe ya oughta stay here. It's about tha time fer a civilized person ta have his breakfast. That's tha sorta thing would be appropriate, don't ya think."

Not waitin' fer a reply, Kaylee stormed off after tha others, leavin' Simon to hisself. Dumbass!

Headin' for tha town square, Mal was lettin' Jayne in on tha plans for tha day.

"So, that's where tha little 'Jayne Celebration' we got planned comes in. Should give us enough time ta get tha goods back on ta _Serenity."_

"I dunno Mal." Jayne replied. Ya think we should be usin' my fame ta hoodwink folks?"

Mal looked at tha big man like he had two heads.

"Ya better laugh when ya say that."

"No really, Mal. I mean, mebbe there's somethin' ta this. The Mudders? I think I really made a difference in their lives. Ya know….Me, Jayne Cobb."

"I know your name, jackass." Maybe Jayne was still drunk?

"Ya know, they threw a riot on my account? A riot…"

River smiled at her accidental hero. True, he had never meant to enrich the local population, but he had, and it _had _made a huge difference in their lives, at least for a while.

Before anyone else could speak, the sound of _Serenity's _Mule grew louder as it approached, carryin' Wash and a clearly amused Zoe.

"Mornin' kids!" Wash beamed.

"Is that Jayne?" Zoe breathed with mock praise. "Is it really him? Wash, pinch me, I must be dreamin'!"

"Oh hell, I'll pinch ya!" Jayne mock leered, earnin' a punch in tha arm from River.

The Crew shared a laugh as Mal gave tha orders.

"Just get on over ta town square, Jayne. Ya fans are waitin'."

Tha big man and tha little cook headed off in that direction while tha rest of tha Crew went ta find tha loot.

**Town Square – 15 Minutes Later**

"Jayne! Jayne! Jayne! Jayne! Jayne! Jayne!" The Mudders chanted loudly in unison as the now loaded Mule drove past the gathering.

"They love their boy." Wash remarked, serious for once.

"Just drive by now," Mal ordered, "nice and slow."

"Jayne! Jayne! Jayne! Jayne! Jayne! Jayne!"

Soon enough, tha Mule was back on _Serenity. _Mal ordered Zoe and Book ta stow tha loot and Wash ta fire up tha old Firefly, while The Cap'n and Kaylee went ta get Jayne and River.

"Jayne! Jayne! Jayne! Jayne! Jayne! Jayne!"

The man a tha moment stood facin' his fans with his statue formin' a backdrop ta tha proceedin's.

"Speech! Speech!" The Mudders cried.

Jayne raised his hands ta quiet tha crowd. Now fully sober, and ta be perfectly honest feelin' a lot like a heel.

"Uh," he began, "I ain't no good with words. Don't…don't use 'em much, myself." The Mudders chuckled at that. "But I want ta thank ya all fer bein' here, and fer thinkin' so much a me…." He said as he pointed ta his statue.

The big man was genuinely humbled, and River gave him an encouraging smile as he continued, and as Kaylee and The Captain joined her.

"Far as I see it, ya people been given tha shortest end of tha stick ever been offered a human soul in this crap-hill 'Verse…But ya took that end…well, ya took it. And that's..well, I guess that's somethin'." He ended somberly.

The Mudders cheered once again as he finished.

"Wow. That didn't sound half bad." Kaylee was impressed.

"I'm shocked my ownself." So was Mal.

River, basking in the positive emotions from Jayne, suddenly felt a spike of fear from her _ge ge, _and was about to shout a warning when a shotgun blast loudly sounded. The crowd panicked and parted as the shooter strode forward, dragging a beaten Simon behind him.

Tha shooter, on seeing his prime target, one Jayne Cobb, threw Simon ta tha ground.

"Stitch Hessian…" Jayne murmured, his own ex-partner, assumed ta be dead.

"Well, hey there, Jayne." Stitch chuckled, humorlessly. "Thought I'd make ya watch while I butchered one a your boys." He said as he motioned ta Simon, lyin' prostrate on tha ground.

"He ain't one a mine." Jayne lied, tryin' ta protect his brother-in-law. "Where ya been hidin'? Ya gone and got yerself lookin' mighty hideous."

"Ho ho ho, yeah!" Stitch mock laughed as he advanced on Jayne, leavin' Tha Doc behind.

This allowed Lil Kaylee ta go and rescue tha beaten Simon, pullin' him in ta tha safety of tha crowd.

River was still in front of Stitch, unable to get to Simon, and in any event she knew Simon's injuries to be superficial – and she was worried about what this hideous man had in store for her _Zhang fu._

"So what's his about a 'Hero a Canton'?" Stitch demanded. "Was I hearin' that right? Four years a lock-down plays tricks on tha ear."

"I ain't a hero." Jayne shook his head. "Just a workin' stiff like ya." The big man moved tawards Stitch, unafraid but wary.

"Yep, he's right, Jayne is." Stitch laughed, again sans humor. "We used ta work tagether, he and I."

The Cap'n knew his Head a Security was tryin' ta keep the foul man occupied, so he was slowly makin' his way tawards him so he could take care a business. He was almost on him when he was spotted.

Stitch swung his shotgun and pointed it in Mal's face, darin' him ta move.

"Now why don't ya just let ol'Stitch speak his piece?"

Tha Browncoat didn't back down, but couldn't do nothin' neither.

"Go on, then." He simply said.

"Whole lotta money in a Magistrate's safe, weren't there, Jayne? Got away clean, too! But then our shuttle took a hit, and we're goin' down. We dumped tha fuel reserve, dumped tha emergency life support, hell, we even dumped tha seats! Then there was just, Jayne, tha money, and me. And there was no way he was goin' ta drop that money."

"He did!" It was the young Mudder from the bar. "He dropped it on tha Mudders."

"By accident, ya in-bred dung-head!" Stitch yelled in contempt. "He tossed me out first! For six months, we run tagether, he turned me out before I could scream!"

"You'd a done tha same." Jayne accused.

Stitch vigorously shook his head.

"No, never! Ya protect tha man you're with. Ya watch his back. Everybody knows that! Well, except tha Hero a Canton…"

Jayne thought Stitch was right. If tha man were worth it. Stitch Hessian was a _yi da dwei bun chou go se. _Some a tha things that he'd seen that man do turned his stomach, even now. He woulda parted ways with tha _hun dun _after that job, even if it didn't go south.

"Ya gonna talk me ta death, buddy?" Jayne had just about had enough a this. "Is that tha plan?"

"This is tha plan." Stitch smiled as he raised his gun and fired, tha loud report a tha shotgun echoing throughout tha town square.

In that spilt second River thought Jayne was going to die. Rage exploded within her, and her Academy programming activated. She would avenge her _Zhang fu._

Jayne was not dead, however. As Stitch fired, tha young Mudder dived in front of Jayne, partially blockin' the spray of shot from tha shotgun. He collapsed ta tha ground, mortally wounded, but he had saved his Hero.

Mostly. The big man had caught the edge of the blast in his shoulder, which was bleedin' profusely. He managed ta draw his Bowie knife, _Binky, _and threw it inta Stitch's chest, before he collapsed ta his knees his ownself.

Stitch, now badly wounded himself, advanced on Jayne. If he was ta die, he'd make sure he got Jayne Cobb first!

He didn't get tha chance.

Outta nowhere he heard a feral screech, and turned ta see a small form flyin' right at him.

The Academy's best and brightest was furious. She knew, now, that Jayne was not dead. But he had been hurt, and this hideous man was bent on completing the job before he succumbed himself. This could not be allowed to happen.

Flying through the air, her leg connected with his face, sending him reeling backwards. He regained his balance and charged the small woman, she side stepped him easily, and using his own momentum as she had done earlier, she sent him careening into the statue of Jayne.

Dazed, but determined, Stitch went to pick himself up when River's knee connected with the back of his neck, sending his face back into the dirt. River decided to finish him, and quickly grabbed the ugly man's head and twisted, breaking his neck. The threat now eliminated, River's Academy programming terminated, and with Stitch Hessian now lying dead on the ground, it allowed her to rush to the aid of her husband.

Meanwhile, Mal had commed Zoe to get her _pi gu _out here with Tha Doc's bag. Jayne and Simon hisself would be in need a it. Orders given, he was shocked ta see River finish off Stitch. Who woulda thunk it?

Simon knew his own wounds were superficial, so when Zoe appeared with his bag he immediately went to work on Jayne. There was a lot of blood, bit it wasn't as bad as it looked. He put a temporary pressure bandage on the wound that would last until he got Jayne back on the ship and into the Infirmary. The big man would be able to move under his own power.

Shocked at tha turn of events, Jayne allowed Simon ta tend ta him while River fussed. He held her hand with his good arm, amazed and what she done. Took a grown man, twice her size, down in ten seconds flat. Sure, he was injured, but…it were still all manner a shiny!

In the aftermath, River had worried that her _Zhang fu _would reject her now that he had actually seen what she was capable of. She could feel the love pouring off him, and she could hear him saying to himself how she was 'all manner a shiny' for being able to do what she did. They shared a quick smile as _ge ge _finished applying the pressure bandage.

Within a few minutes of tha fight endin', the bleedin' had stopped. With tha adrenaline wearin' off, tha big man could see tha Mudder crowd still in shock. Ta his own dismay he looked over ta tha young Mudder, and silently thanked him fer his life. With his wound, and with his _Ai ren's _actions, he'd almost forgotten tha young man's sacrifice.

Movin' over ta tha young Mudder, his anger spiked as he rolled him over with his good arm. Although grateful, he was still shocked someone would do tha fer him, other than maybe tha _jingling, _and thinkin' of it bein' _her _lyin' there made him even angrier still.

Ta his shame he took it out on tha dead Mudder.

"Ya stupid piece a….what did ya do that fer? What's wrong with ya? Didn't ya hear a word he said?"

Still angry, he turned his ire on tha crowd.

"All a ya!" He yelled "Ya think there's someone just goin' ta drop money on ya?! Money they could use?! Well, there ain't people like that! There's just people like me.." he finished more quietly.

Somewhat deflated, he felt River come up ta his side, but before he could turn tawards her a Mudder boy appeared with _Binky, _reverently offerin' it ta him. That made him angry again, and he shook River off as he snatched _Binky _with his good arm. Still mad, he stalked over ta his statue, and ignorin' tha pain in his shoulder he fair toppled the effigy, ta tha shock of tha assembled Mudders.

River came up to him again, and took his hand. Poor _Zhang fu. _So many conflicting emotions. He allowed her to gently guide him back to the ship, not a word passed between the Crew as they somberly made their way home to _Serenity._

Jayne paused as he entered tha ship, but couldn't bring hisself ta look back at the Mudder town. River tugged his hand softly and they walked back inta tha ship tagether.

"Wash," Mal commed, "get us tha gorram hell offa this mud ball."

"Yeah, I'm workin' on it." Wash freaked as his navigation screen showed they were landlocked, but before he could panic, the landlock was released and they were free to go. Strange. But he'll take it.

Wash, as usual, smoothly lifted the old Type 3 Firefly, and before long _Serenity _was screaming for The Black.

Later, after Simon had properly tended ta his wounds, Jayne found hisself alone on tha catwalk.

River knew he needed to be alone for now, so she let him be. Still needing something to do, and hours from the next meal, she decided to occupy her mind with the conundrum of the Bible.

Feeling The Shepherd approach, she was in no mood for any further arguments with him.

"Just keep walkin', Preacher man." She said in her best Jayne impersonation.

And he did. River smirked to herself as he left.

After a while, and unable to concentrate on her admittedly illogical task, she went in search of Jayne. He was still on the catwalk, leaning on the railing – and talking to The Captain.

Mal had originally come ta talk ta his Head a Security about his Cook. Clear as day they had somethin' goin', and he didn't really mind none. Seems everyone was paired up on his boat. Wash and Zoe, a course, Doc and Kaylee looked ta be getting' on mighty fine, and if he was honest with hisself, maybe there was somethin' 'tween hisself and Tha Registered Companion. If he was honest. Anyways, he was Cap'n, so he had a right ta know.

Another thing he wanted ta talk on was his Cook's fightin' abilities. Knowin' Jayne was teachin' her, and seein' it in action, were two entirely different things. Girl, no, young woman, was a genius, why shouldn't she be good at, well, everythin'?

Still, he needed words ta be exchanged with his Head a Security on both topics. Only he wasn't talkin' none, at least on those. Mal didn't push, he knew tha big man had ta be powerful shook up on what happened on that gorram moon. He could always talk on it with his friend later.

Jayne suddenly spoke up.

"Don't make no sense." Tha big man began. "What…why tha hell did that Mudder have ta go and do that fer, Mal? Jumpin' in fronta that shotgun blast. Hell, there weren't a single one a them that understood what happened out there. They're probably stickin' that statue right back up."

"Most like." Mal quietly said.

"I don't know why that eats at me so."

Despite the situation, Mal was pleased. Looks like Jayne's journey from mercenary _hun dun _ta trustful Head a Security, and friend, was well underway, if not nearin' the end. He suspected that a little cook may have played a big part in tha transformation.

"Its my estimation," Mal started, "that every man ever got a statue made a him, was one kinda summbitch or another. Ain't about you, Jayne. It's about what _they _need ta survive in that mud hellhole."

"Don't make no sense." Jayne whispered as he lightly shook his head.

Tha Cap'n saw his Cook appear at tha end of tha catwalk and took that as his cue ta leave. He nodded as he passed, and got a smile in trade. Tha Browncoat was relieved his decision ta keep her and her brother on had seemed ta work out. His luck weren't usually that good….

Said little Cook put a tiny arm around her _Zhang fu's _middle and was suddenly pulled into a full hug. They stood that way for a long time, not needing to exchange words, but each knowing that whatever happened, they'd face it together.

A/N: Next, Out of Gas re-imagined.

Chinese:

_Hun dun – Jerk_

_Go se – crap_

_Jingling – Pixie_

_Zhang fu – Husband_

_Dong ma? – Understand?_

_Ba__o hu zhe – Protector_

_Zhe shi she me lan dong xi? – What kind of rotten food is this?_

_Yee-soo ta ma duh – Jesus, Mary and Joseph (that's the clean version!)_

_Chou ma niao – Stinkin' horse piss_

_Ai ren – Spouse, wife in this context_

_Mei mei – Little sister_

_Ge ge – Big brother_

_Yi da dwei bun chou go se – Big steaming pile of crap_

_Pi gu – Butt_


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 14 – Out of Gas**

A/N: Even though our intrepid pair didn't get much screen time at all in this episode, this Chapter still came out at almost the usual size. Hope I don't bore you with my ramblings.

Thanks once again for the reviews. Keep the comments and questions coming!

**Enroute to Greenleaf – Red Sun Border System – Late November 2517**

A week had passed since tha troubles on Higgin's Moon. Jayne had pretty much healed physically, but was still torn up about tha young Mudder's death. Before he joined tha Crew a _Serenity,_ mebbe tha big man wouldn't have cared about tha Mudder. The 'Verse was a hard place, and if a _chwen joo _Mudder wanted ta waste his life fer a _Hun dun _like him, so what?

Not used ta such introspection, Jayne was havin' a hard time comin' ta terms with it. Was tearin' him up inside, and if it weren't fer his _Ai ren, _he mighta done somethin' stupid.

"Everything has a purpose, _Zhang fu. _Every action, every thought, is connected."

Tha big man could only nod at that.

"If not," she continued, "how could we be here, together? Everything that has happened in our lives has brought us to this point. We, _us, _would not be, otherwise. Remember him, _Zhang fu, _but do not let the guilt you carry destroy you."

She were right, a course. But it were hard. He thanked _Yee-soo_ once again that tha 'Verse had brought her ta him. Holdin' her closer, he was about ta kiss her when there was a knock at tha hatch a Jayne's bunk.

"River?" Kaylee called, "Ya there?"

"_Go se." _Tha big man murmured and his petite wife laughed lightly.

"Yes Kaylee, I am here." She was still laughing.

"Good. I need ya help. In tha kitchen. Ya free?"

River wasn't free, as such, as she was locked in an embrace with her _Zhang fu. _

"It's important, Jayne, at least to Kaylee."

"Fine." He grumped in reply. Releasin' tha young woman, he swiped her butt as she left tha bed and she yelped in surprise. Tha big man smirked at tha angry look he received fer his efforts.

"For that I shall ensure that I do not return until I have spent as much time helping Kaylee as much as she needs and then some!"

That wiped tha smirk off his face, but River couldn't hold the angry look for too long and she laughed at him as she ascended the stairs.

"Gorram woman!" He leapt up, aimin' ta smack her again, but he was too slow. Last thing he heard were tha two young women talkin' and gigglin' as they headed off ta tha kitchen. Followin' woulda been all sortsa needy, so he went ta slam his hatch fer some quality broodin' time, but was stopped when tha Cap'n called down.

"Jayne, need a word or two." Mal said as he let hisself down inta Jayne's bunk.

Tha Browncoat had left his Head a Security alone for tha past week, givin' him some time ta get over what had happened in Canton. Never a patient man, Mal thought he'd done real good by waitin' so long for tha answers he wanted.

"Well, sure Cap'n, since you're here an' all." And my _Jingling _ain't.

"Yes, I am. I got two things I wanna talk about. First, it ain't no secret ya got somethin' goin' with my cook."

"Mal. It ain't.."

"My boat, Jayne." His Cap'n interrupted. "I got no problem with tha two a ya hookin' up, 'less it's gonna affect tha smooth way my ship runs."

Jayne couldn't help tha snort that escaped at that comment, which Mal decided ta totally ignore.

"Is it?" he asked, seriously wantin' an answer.

"Why should it?" Jayne replied. "Nothin's rightly changed 'cept, well, ya know. We's got our own duties, and there's trainin' and whatnot..."

"Well as long as ya clear on that, what ya do in ya personal time is...ya personal time."

"Sure Cap'n" Jayne weren't really comfortable with tha whole discussion, but the Cap'n did need ta know if the dynamic would change.

"Second thing," and actually more important ta tha Browncoat, "her fightin' abilities."

"What about 'em?"

"I was mighty impressed with what I seen, ya teach her them moves?"

"Yeah," Jayne smoothly lied. Truth was, they ain't had much time fer hand-ta-hand, he'd shown her a coupla defensive moves, hold breakin' and such, but what she did in Canton was all her. Musta been Academy trainin'. No way Mal needs ta know _that._ "She's a genius Mal, only hafta show her once and she gets it."

"But tha way she moved..."

"She was a ballerina or somethin'." Tha big man interrupted.

"What?"

"A prima ballerina. A fancy Coreified dancer. Leapin' around and tha like. Ta old Earth-That-Was music."

Mal knew what a ballerina was, he was shocked the man standin' 'afore him did.

"She showed me some on tha Cortex." Jayne continued at Mal's shocked look.

"Oh." So that's how he knew. And come ta think a it, her moves did seem ta have some elements ta ballet in it. No surprise she'd be as good at it as most things she did. "Well, it were mighty impressive."

"Yep, sure was." He couldn't keep tha pride outta his voice.

"How's her shootin' lessons goin'?"

"She's a genius Mal." Jayne rolled his eyes. "How do ya think she's doin'?" River hadn't taken ta it right off, but was fair competent now.

"Well, I'm thinkin'," Mal started with a thoughtful look on his face, "havin' an extra gun hand, especially one that don't look like one none, could come in mighty handy on jobs."

"Mebbe." Jayne replied, keepin' his voice steady. That were a course exactly what Jayne had already said ta his Cap'n earlier, who had rejected it. Dumbass. Ya could get Mal ta agree ta most anythin', if he thought it were his idea. "But only when she's ready. Her trainin' ain't even half done yet."

"She keen?"

"As mustard. Says cookin's all mundane like, will still do it, but wants ta get outta tha ship when she can. And a 'course wants ta be with me." Jayne smirked as he puffed out his chest.

"Ok, when she's ready, we'll start takin' her on jobs, easy one's at first..." Mal was thinkin' tha next job would do.

"Cap'n, she don't go on jobs until _I _say she's ready. I'm her trainer," and her husband he thought, but no one needs ta know _that _either right now, "and I _ain't _gonna put her in harms way until then. And I think ya should talk ta her first anyways about it, she's her own person."

"Fair enough. Ya keep me posted on her progress, _dong ma? _And I'll have some words with her about tha subject. Ya know, Jayne, we all thought tha girl was _feng le, _but ya done..."

"She's a genius Mal." Jayne repeated, not wantin' ta talk on this, really. "She gets bored real easy, ya keep her busy and that keeps her more a less on a even keel."

"Busy, huh?" It were Mal's turn ta smirk, and his smirk grew as his Head a Security's face became red. "Seriously though, she's young." Mal put up his hands ta stop Jayne's inevitable interruption. "And I've spoken ta her brother. He don't have no objections ta tha two a ya, so neither do I. But he did say though, ya hurt tha girl, and he's got some real inventive ways ta take it out on ya...and I've given him his drugs back. He's earned it."

Jayne gulped at tha thought as Tha Cap'n smirked again and left tha big man ta his thoughts.

**Dining Area – That Night**

River, as usual, had cooked dinner. It was, as usual, protein. Still, the young Cook did the best with what she had, and it was appreciated. What really made the dinner, well any meal times on _Serenity, _was the company. Even the newest of the Crew had developed a rapport with the longer serving members, and the conversation tonight was delightful.

The rest of the Crew were beside themselves when Wash entered, last to join.

"What was natty?" he said as he took his place at the table. "I want to hear about the natty thing."

"Shepherd Book was just tellin' us funny stories about his life at tha Monastery." Kaylee told him.

"Monastic humor," Wash smiled, "I miss out on all the fun." He said as he picked up the now empty serving bowl. "And all the food, too, apparently…" The usually funny little pilot furrowed his brow.

"Just who do ya think ya married to?" Zoe passed a plate a food ta her husband, "Voila" she said as she revealed its contents.

"I love my wife." Wash said genuinely as they kissed.

River squeezed her _Zhang fu's _hand under the table as if to say the same.

"So we got a course set?" Tha Cap'n asked Wash.

"We do." He replied. "Took a little creative navigating, but we should make it all the way to Greenleaf without running afoul of any Alliance patrols. Or a single living soul, for that matter."

"Good," Mal said as he nodded his head, "Way it should be."

"'Course," the pilot replied while chewing on his food, "what should be an 18 hour trip's gonna take us the better part of a week by this route."

"We're in no rush. I like an easy, languorous journey."

With that decided, Kaylee got up ta spring tha surprise she'd been workin' on with River. Simon got up ta help her, he was kind that way, but he had ta stay at the table fer tha surprise.

"It's your turn." She told him.

"My turn?" Doc, as usual, was a bit slow on the social uptake.

"Shepherd told a funny story 'bout bein' a Shepherd," she started, "Now you tell a funny story about bein' a doctor."

"A funny story…" Simon smiled as he tried to remember something appropriate.

"Yeah, 'cos sick people are hi-larious." Jayne stated, only ta get a punch in tha arm from his _Ai ren. _"Ow!"

The Doctor began his story, failing miserably, and needed to be rescued.

"Hey Doc," Zoe began, "I think Kaylee may need ya help after all." She finished as she nodded behind Simon.

He turned to see the beautiful Engineer carrying a birthday cake. How did she know? He had his suspicions.

"Care ta make tha first incision, Doctor Tam?" Kaylee placed tha well alight cake in front a tha young Doc, whispering him a "Happy Birthday."

Simon beamed as the rest of the Crew clapped and wished him a happy birthday, he even got a high five from Jayne.

"Well this is," he started, "How, how did you know? " He turned to his sister, "River, did you…"

"'Day' is a vestigial mode of time measurement based on solar cycles. It's not applicable." His _mei mei _told him. "I didn't get you anything.." she smiled as she finished.

"Well, I couldn'ta made tha cake without ya honey." Kaylee supplied.

He smiled at his sister and potential girlfriend in turn, genuinely touched, but still no wiser as to how they knew. If River didn't tell them…

The Captain had the answer, which he gratefully supplied.

"Seems a fresh warrant for your arrest came up on tha Cortex. Had your birth date attached right ta it."

"Really?" Simon asked worriedly.

The Cap'n nodded in tha affirmative.

Kaylee went on ta supply tha ins and outs a tha cake construction, and Simon listened with rapt attention.

"Thank you," he smiled at the Engineer. "I'm really...I'm very deeply moved. Thank you."

Mal slapped Jayne in tha arm as he reached fer tha cake.

"Well," Jayne said good naturedly, "deeply move yaself over there and blow out them candles so we can try a slice."

Tha Crew erupted in laughter, it were a good feelin'.

Simon was about to blow out the candles when the lights flickered on and off, weird sounds coming from the engine room area.

"What tha hell was that?" Jayne asked, humor gone.

"Mebbe just a hiccup?" Kaylee hoped. "I'll go check it out." She said as she headed tawards tha engine room.

"I'll take a look at the helm." A worried Wash said, rising.

Suddenly River went stiff and grabbed Jayne's hand, nails digging into his skin. "Fire." She stated as she stared at the candles on the birthday cake.

"Ok, right." Simon leaned in to blow out the candles, thinking his _mei mei _was telling him to do so.

Jayne knew that look, she weren't talkin' 'bout no birthday candles. Before he could ask her what she meant, or do anythin' at all really, tha ship shook violently and a large roar came from tha rear a tha ship – tha engine room.

The massive fireball flew out of the engine room and into all parts of _Serenity's _lower decks – including the dining area.

Kaylee stood transfixed as tha fireball approached. She was too terrified ta move. Zoe, seein' Kaylee's predicament, leapt up and pushed tha young Engineer outta tha way. Tha Amazon couldn't get herself outta danger in time, though, as the pressure wave from the fireball hit and threw tha former Independent soldier across tha room, knockin' her out cold.

Alla that happened in a matter a seconds.

Wash rushed to his wife's aide, desperate to check on her well being.

Jayne had covered River from tha first blast, she yelled "Fire!" again and this time he was ready. He held her close away from tha direction a tha engine room, willin' ta take tha hit and die if necessary ta protect his _Ai ren._

It weren't necessary, as it happened.

Mal, seein' what was comin, raced ta tha door controls ta the dining area and activated tha emergency blast doors, which quickly slid inta place. This probably saved tha Crew from bein' burnt alive, but they weren't outta danger yet, not by a long shot.

With River temporarily safe, Jayne knew he had ta help tha Cap'n save tha ship.

"Seal off everythin' that leads below decks." He yelled at his Head a Security as he flew past tha big man on tha way ta the Bridge. "Do it now!"

Jayne knew exactly what ta do. He'd been on ships an awful long time and knew tha dangers. He'd tried ta organize fire drills and tha like, but apathy had cut that program short. Still, even if tha others weren't interested, he was, and he'd drilled this exact scenario hisself. Engine room fires were one a tha more common disasters ta befall ships out in Tha Black, after all.

He knew why the Cap'n was goin' ta the Bridge. Best way ta stop a fire was ta deprive it a oxygen. Cap'n would trust him ta get the lower decks locked up real tight so he could open them ta space. The decompression would blow all tha air outta tha ship, quick like, and tha fire with it.

Tha big man had done his part and was headin' back ta tha dinin' area ta check on his _jingling _and the rest when he almost ran smack bang inta tha Doc goin' that other way.

"Where ya think ya goin?"

"Zoe's badly hurt. I need my medical supplies."

"Sorry, Doc," Jayne started, and he was. "Nobody leaves. Everythin's sealed up tight."

"If you don't let me through she could die." Simon earnestly said.

"I let ya through, we all die." Jayne replied just as seriously. Clearly tha Doc didn't know what was about ta happen.

Up on tha Bridge, Mal could see on tha console that Jayne had managed ta lock down tha lower decks. All systems were go for an emergency decompression of tha main cargo bay. He hit tha switch and in a manner a second's tha fire had been blown out inta space, along with a large collection a _go se_ that weren't tied down.

He hit tha switch to close tha main door and hurried back ta tha dining area ta check on his Crew.

What he saw when he arrived shocked him. Zoe was out, and Simon seemed ta think she was badly hurt. At least everyone else was ok.

Jayne, Wash, and Mal carried the severely wounded First Mate ta tha Infirmary as quickly and as gently as they could, where Tha Doc began ta work on her frantically.

"There's no sign of burning. It must be internal. I'll have to do a scan."

Wash murmured quietly to his wife, while Simon started to work on her as fast as he could.

Jayne watched on from tha door, concern showin' on his face fer Zoe. They weren't friends, not really, but he still didn't wanna see nothin' bad happen ta her. River came up ta him and took a holda one a his hands. She stayed outside tha Infirmary, though. Tha young woman had a powerful aversion ta tha Infirmary and wouldn't enter unless she had ta. Movin' back out tha door, he pulled her in a little closer, wantin' ta feel her against him, feelin' her would convince his racin' mind that she was really safe.

Tha shared a quick smile then all hell broke loose as Wash and The Cap'n started arguin' somethin' fierce. Mal, quite reasonably, wanted tha pilot ta take his station and assess tha damage ta tha ship. Wash, quite reasonably, wanted ta stay at his wife's side. It was a clash a wills that could only end one way.

"I'm not leaving her side, Mal. Don't ask me again."

"I wasn't askin'," Mal replied softly, "I was tellin'."

"_Chur ni-duh." _Wash angrily replied.

Mal's patience was gone, and he grabbed tha smaller man, turnin' him around and forcin' him backwards until he hit tha wall a tha Infirmary.

"Ya gonna get ta tha Bridge and ya gonna get us back on our feet." He ordered.

The two men stared down each other, before Wash silently acquiesced. He broke his Captain's hold and noiselessly headed to the Bridge.

Several minutes passed as Simon continued to work on Zoe.

Jayne suddenly felt River tense and dig her nails inta his hand again. Turnin' ta her, he opened his mouth ta speak and was interrupted by an urgent 'BEEP' from the monitor Zoe was hooked up ta.

"Her heart's stopped." Simon cried as he began to give his patient CPR.

"Whattya ya need Doc?" Mal asked.

"That drawer, right there," he pointed, as Mal opened the drawer and retrieved a large hypo. "Yes, that's the one," the Doctor said as he took it from Mal and prepared it for use.

"What is it?' asked Inara.

"Pure adrenaline." He simply stated, as he plunged the huge needle into Zoe's heart, shocking all in the room.

It worked, and the 'beeping' from the monitor resumed its steady rhythm.

Simon hustled everyone out of the Infirmary except for the Captain, who maintained a vigil beside his First Mate's bed.

After a while, Kaylee came ta report on tha engine damage, and they retreated ta tha common room ta discuss tha issue.

There were no good news ta be had, and as Jayne walked in Kaylee gave Mal tha worst a tha news.

"Main life support's down on account a tha engine bein' dead."

"Right," Mal was expectin' that, "but we got auxiliary life support.."

"No, we don't." the young Engineer interrupted. "It ain't even on. Explosion musta knocked it out."

"So what are we breathin'?" Mal was shocked.

"Whatever got pumped inta the atmo before tha explosion shut it down." She replied.

"Most a that oxygen got ate up by tha fire on its way out tha door." Jayne added.

"Well," Kaylee almost whispered, "whatever's left is what we got."

"How long?" her Cap'n asked.

"A coupla hours, mebbe. We'll start ta feel it, and then we won't feel nothin' at all."

All three stood around in dismay, wonderin' how they'd get outta this one.

Tired of waiting for Jayne to reappear, River left her increasingly less used room to find him. Passing The Shepherd's room she could feel his terror.

"Don't be afraid." She stated as she looked around the entrance into his room, not wanting to enter after the hair incident.

The Shepherd looked up to see the young women staring at him and his Bible.

"That's what is says. Don't be afraid."

"Yes." Book nodded, fear clearly evident on his face.

"But you are afraid." A statement, not a question.

"Yes." The Shepherd didn't even think to mislead.

"You're afraid we're going to run out of air. That'll we'll die gasping." River shook her head. "But we won't. That's not going to happen."

Book looked at her and wondered where she was going with this.

"We'll freeze to death first." She deadpanned.

The young Cook left The Shepherd to his own thoughts as she sought out her _Zhang fu. _

Tha big man hisself was in search of her when he heard yellin' comin' from the Bridge. Seems Mal and Wash were at it again. Jayne couldn't believe it, actin' like spoilt kids instead a tryin' ta figure away outta this gorram mess!

"Hey!" he yelled as he stormed inta the Bridge. Tha Cap'n and Tha Pilot turned ta him as he continued. "What do ya two think ya doin'? Fightin' at a time like this!"

Tha two men looked at him in surprise as their argument was stopped in its tracks.

"You'll use up all the air." Jayne stated as he turned ta leave tha now silent men as he sought out his _Ai ren._

He'd just found her when The Cap'n came over the speakers.

"I need all tha Crew in tha common area now."

**Common Area – Five Minutes Later**

It were cold in tha common area, despite everyone wearing jackets and usin' blankets. Huddlin' tagther it were a little better, but Jayne couldn't see if it was the body heat or tha fact he had his _Ai ren_ in his lap that was makin' him feel better.

"Both." She whispered to him and beamed him a smile.

Despite tha cold, Jayne felt mighty warm fer just a second.

"As you're all keenly aware," Mal began, "we've run inta a bit of a situation. Engine's down, life support's on tha fritz, and I got nine people here all wantin' ta breathe. Truth is, ain't got a whole lotta options at this juncture."

No one spoke; there wasn't really any arguing with those facts.

"So, instead a focusin' on we don't got," he continued, "time ta talk about what it is we do. And what we got are two shuttles. Short range. Won't go far. But each got heat, and they each got air. Last longer than what's left in _Serenity."_

"Long enough to reach someplace?" Simon asked hopefully.

"No." Tha Browncoat answered truthfully.

"So, where will we go then?" Book asked, confused.

"Far as ya can get," was tha answer. "We send both shuttles off in opposite directions, betters tha chances of someone bein' seen, maybe gettin' picked up."

No one could think of any counter arguments.

"Shepherd Book, River, Jayne will ride with Inara in her shuttle." Mal ordered. "Doc, you and Lil Kaylee will go with Wash and Zoe, seein' as how Zoe still needs some doctorin'."

Simon didn't even think to object. He knew Jayne would look out for River, as much as he knew he was needed to look after Zoe. And he'd have Kaylee with him, always a bonus.

"What about you?" Lil Kaylee asked her Cap'n.

'Four people per shuttle. That's tha arrangements. Evens tha odds…..I'm stayin' with _Serenity."_

"Cap'n?" Kaylee persisted.

"We sent out a beacon. Even managed ta boost it a little. By some chance, we get a response, someone's gonna have ta be here ta answer."

Mal could tell by the looks on tha Crew's faces that none a them believed that was likely ta happen.

"Jayne, ya get shuttle number two ready, I'll see ta Inara's."

Jayne nodded as he set River down on tha couch and started ta head off ta do his part, givin' his _jingling _a quick kiss as he went.

"Let's get movin'," Mal ordered, "only take what ya need."

It didn't take long to prepare the shuttles, and soon enough it was time for the Crew to embark.

Only Jayne was left ta board tha shuttle but he had some words fer Mal first.

"I went ahead and closed off all below deck vents." He told his Cap'n. "Diverted what's left ta the Bridge. Ain't much," he warned. "So my advice is, seal off everythin' tight behind ya on your way back up. Might buy ya some time."

Mal nodded, and Jayne continued.

"And I prepped a suit fer ya. It's hangin' in tha foredeck. So when tha time comes, you can…"

"I won't be needin' it, but thanks." Mal was touched, seemed Jayne really did value their friendship. Mayhaps Jayne a old wouldn't a given two hoots, but new Jayne, well…

"Ok." Jayne replied, weren't really much else he could say. Turnin' ta go, he was stopped by his Cap'n.

"Jayne. Look out for Inara. Shepherd can see ta hisself, and I already know you're gonna take care a tha lil Cook, but…"

"Sure, Mal. We'll all look out fer each other, just like ya done taught us."

Tha two men shook hands, comin' ta an understandin'. It were prolly tha last time they would see each other, and that didn't sit well with tha big man. Sure, they had a rocky start, but there was a lot to like and admire about tha old Browncoat.

Mal shared similar feelin's. He'd never thought he be able ta fully trust the ex-mercenary, but he knew tha man had changed for tha better and would do whatever he could ta honor his friends last wishes.

"Well, good luck." Jayne said, and Mal nodded.

Mal looked up ta watch Jayne go, and saw that Inara was lookin' down on him from tha catwalk. She weren't impressed, but knew how stubborn Mal could be. They shared a look before Jayne motioned for Inara ta board, Jayne followed and sealed tha hatch behind him.

It weren't but a minute or two before tha two shuttles left their home, headin' in opposite directions, and leavin' one old ex-Independent alone in what may turn out ta be his own metal coffin.

**Inara's Shuttle – Two Hours Later**

The small craft had been speeding away from _Serenity _for the past two hours. It hadn't taken long to get it to its maximum velocity, which wasn't much, really, and the engines had been shut down and it was now coasting along on it's own inertia.

Inara wasn't pleased with the situation at all. Mal, the noble idiot, had basically decided to go down with his ship, even if he wouldn't admit it. No one had believed his assertion that someone would pick up the distress beacon and come and help the petty thief.

There were unresolved feelings between them, and the man just frustrated her so.

And they shouldn't have left him there. And he shouldn't have stayed. And he shouldn't have dismissed her worries as so much _go se. _Such a difficult man!

At least they were heading in the right direction. River had known the roundabout route Wash had programmed for Serenity, and consequently had been able to program the shuttle's nav system to take the most direct line to the closest regular shipping route. That had almost guaranteed the shuttle would be picked up. Only problem, life support was unlikely to last the required time.

Sighing, Inara looked at the girl, no young women, who was in a hushed conversation with her….what? With Jayne, anyway. The young women was definitely talented, a genius, her brother had said. Effortlessly programming the navigation system on the shuttle proved that to be the case. Inara could program the nav system easily enough between two fixed points, but out in the middle of The Black, way off the regular routes? No. The math involved was just too complex, and yet River had done it easily. And she was being used as a cook.

Typical of Malcolm Reynolds, have a genius drop in your lap, and use her to cook…..

The young genius could be anywhere, should be anywhere but here, using her talents. Only The Alliance, an organization she still somewhat believed in, had done something to her. Something horrendous, apparently, and it had made the girl somewhat imbalanced. Strangely, spending time with Jayne had given her back some semblance of balance. How odd.

Still, she shouldn't be wasting her time running around with a bunch of petty thieves, doing crime, and constantly looking over their shoulders. And yet, so was Inara herself.

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." The young woman in question suddenly told her, before turning back to Jayne.

Inara _had _been staring, and the girl was extraordinarily perceptive. Almost as if she could…but surely that wasn't possible? The Registered Companion had an aunt that was also unusually insightful, some said she was a reader…

River looked up at her again and smiled.

Yes, _unusually _perceptive. Inara turned back to the console and her own thoughts, desperately wanting to go back to 'her' petty thief, but knowing it wasn't fair to the others on her shuttle.

The young psychic herself had heard some of The Companions deliberations. She was worried about The Captain and her thoughts were loud. Perhaps she shouldn't have said anything, but Inara was a good person and River didn't mind her using the young woman as a distraction to her worries.

Suddenly River sat bolt upright. At this distance, the small link she had established with The Captains mind as they left _Serenity _was muted, but something definitely had happened. Something bad.

Jayne had, a course, noticed his _jingling _had gone stiff, and had gotten that faraway look in her eyes. She was readin' someone, and it weren't good.

"What is it baby girl?" he whispered.

It took a few moments for her to speak. "The Captain. We must go back. Now."

"Bad?" Jayne asked.

His _Ai ren _nodded, it were good enough fer him.

"'Nara, Book?" tha big man cleared his throat as he spoke. The two in question gave him his full attention as he began. "We've been talkin'," he said as he squeezed River's hand, "and we don't think it's right ta leave the Cap'n on his lonesome. We wanna go back." No way were they gonna mention anythin' about readin or psychic's or such, and he was pretty sure tha other two wanted ta go back anyways. At least 'Nara sure looked like she did.

Inara was stunned into silence, so it was Shepherd Book who spoke first.

"It was his wishes we leave him behind. Do we have a realistic chance of successful contact if we stay on the shuttle?" The groups silence told him everything he wanted to know. "Then I vote we go back. If we are to die, then we should do it together, as we have lived. The Captain deserves this consideration."

"'Nara?" Jayne quietly asked.

She didn't reply, but River released her hold on her _Zhang fu_ and went to the shuttle's console, and the two women worked to get the shuttle turned around and heading back to _Serenity._

Turning the shuttle was easy enough, but they had to stop their momentum before they could start to return. Full burn on the shuttle's engines used a lot of fuel, but time was of the essence.

It wasn't long before they were heading back to the old Firefly's last known position, not knowing what they would find.

Once the course was set, the young psychic rejoined her man. She looked at him with a worried expression on her face. "Still there, but very weak," was the answer to his silent question.

**Inara's Shuttle – 15 Minutes Out From **_**Serenity**_

As the shuttle approached the old mid-bulk's last known position, River very happily told Jayne that The Captain was still alive, if barely so. The joyous news was cut short, as River sensed something, or rather someone, else.

The young psychic gasped as seven, no eight, new minds spoke to her own. Their thoughts were thunderous, and all of avarice.

"Trouble baby girl?"

"Yes.." she stammered. "Many minds waiting….they want _Serenity."_

'Reavers?' His mind screamed, she shook her head. He relaxed some, anythin' else he could take care of. "What are they waitin' fer?"

"The Captain to die!" River fainted and was caught by Jayne, who quickly but gently lowered her to the shuttle's bench seat.

"What happened?" asked an alarmed Book, who wasn't privy to the couple's private conversation.

Before he could answer, Inara called out.

"Jayne!"

Tha big man motioned ta River and Tha Shepherd quickly came over ta sit with her. Still, Jayne covered his _Ai ren _with a warm blanket before heading up ta 'Nara.

"Look!" she pointed to the shuttles screen.

Shuttle's sensors weren't nothin' but a piece a _go se, _but even they couldn't miss tha outline of a huge spidery ship waitin' on tha far side a _Serenity._ It were clearly a salvage ship.

"Maybe The Captain was right all along. Maybe he has been rescued?" asked a hopeful Inara.

Jayne knew it weren't true, but how ta say that without givin' away River's big secret?

"Not sure 'Nara. Look at _Serenity," _he said as he pointed ta tha shuttle's screen. "Looks like she's got power again, so that's a good sign, but why ain't tha other ship moved off?"

"Maybe power has just been restored?"

"No Inara." It were tha _jingling, _and she done popped up again.

"See here," the revived young genius said as she pointed to the Type 3 Firefly's power signature on the screen, "the engine has been active for at least 20 minutes, and there's no sign of any other activity. If The Captain were able, all systems would be running by now. They are not," she finished with worry.

"I don't think we can take the chance a them bein' too friendly." Jayne stated.

Book furrowed his brow. "I agree. But what can we do?"

All four were lost in thought for a couple of minutes as the shuttle coasted towards their home, when Jayne snapped his fingers.

"I got it! 'Nara, both a our shuttles are tha same. Which means, what mods Wash has done ta one he's done ta tha other. So," he said as he searched the console, lookin' fer the right buttons, "this hear shuttles got a built in cry-baby ta help with escapin' tha law and such." Findin' a subpanel marked 'ECM', that'd be it. ECM, he knew, stood fer Electronic Counter Measures. Just what they'd need fer his plan.

"What we gotta do is program tha cry-baby ta mimic an Alliance Patrol Boat." He accessed the sub menu on the ECM panel but couldn't remember how ta do it. He was sure he'd done this exact same thing a'fore, just couldn't remember exactly when or how. Tha strange feelin' he got at times like this was back, bein' with River had mostly put them ta bed.

"I can do it." River chipped in. Her fingers flew through the menus for a few seconds. "Done!"

"That's my girl!" Jayne rewarded her with a quick kiss, and she blushed slightly as the other two watched on.

"What do we do now?" Book asked.

Jayne looked at tha Shepherd all funny like.

"We need someone ta comm tha other ship and pretend ta be tha law."

"What? Me?"

"Yeah you, Shepherd. I'm sure ya can do it." _Serenity's _Head a Security was convinced there was more ta Book than bein' a Shepherd. "When ya ready, we'll activate tha cry baby and ya try ta convince tha salvagers ta move off. Friendly or not, I'd rather them be gone."

"Alright." The Shepherd took a deep breath as he sat in front of the comm. screen. River activated the cry baby as he began to speak. "Unidentified ships. This is Alliance Patrol Boat One Zero Niner. Stand down and prepare to be boarded. Have all registration papers and cargo manifests available for inspection."

Now they had to wait. They'd popped up on the far side of the old Firefly. With _Serenity _in between them and the salvage vessel, the other crew knew if they ran the Patrol Boat wouldn't bother with them. The mid-bulk would be an easier target for the Alliance crew.

They didn't have to wait long. Although large and unwieldy except at very low speeds, the salvage vessel had a lot of power and was pretty fast in a straight line. And so it was seen as the salvage vessel lit their burners and ran.

"Well done Shepherd!" Inara was ecstatic, and now The Shepherd had earned himself a kiss.

"Thank you, it was nothing."

And Jayne reckoned Tha Shepherd was right. His little unprepared speech had come far too easily ta the older man ta be a coincidence. Jayne filed that away fer later.

"We gotta get aboard tha ship, quick like. Take us in 'Nara." Jayne ordered as he began ta weapon up, just in case.

They were just about to dock when River spoke.

"Oh no." She said as she pointed to the screen. "They have used their high resolution short range scanners and have discovered we are not what we seem."

The salvage ship slowed and began to turn as Inara expertly docked the shuttle.

"Wait here fer my signal." Tha big man rushed outta the shuttle, _Vera _at the ready. He could see they had air, but emergency lightin' only. _Serenity _was a small ship, but it would still take valuable time ta check her properly. Time they didn't have if tha salvagers were still headin' back. He decided to check just tha shuttle area and tha main cargo bay, rest will have ta wait. _Vera _leadin' the way, he expertly searched tha two areas and, findin' nothin', he rushed back ta tha shuttle and banged on tha hatch.

"CLEAR!" he yelled and tha hatch flew open, Book, River and Inara exitin' in that order, with his _Ai ren _brandishin' her small pistol, _Ingrid._

"Stay tagether, we gotta get ta tha Bridge and get tha ship up and runnin'!"

With _Vera _once again leadin' tha way, tha four valiant Crew members made their way ta the Bridge. What they found as they moved inside tha door shocked them.

"Mal!" Inara cried as she ran to Ma's prostrate form, Shepherd not far behind.

River and Jayne, meanwhile, had started the process to get _Serenity _fully operational.

"He's still alive!" Book yelled.

"Baby girl, can ya finish tha job up here. Gotta get Mal ta tha Infirmary and I ain't checked it yet."

She nodded as she continued to bring the old ship back to full life.

Book and Jayne carried Tha Cap'n ta tha Infirmary without incident, where he was laid gently onta tha examination table. Tha main lights came on without warnin', lettin' tha Crew see the mess that was tha Infirmary – and tha mess that was their Cap'n.

"We need Simon." Inara was feint.

"Well, we ain't got him." Jayne looked at Book. "Gunshot wound, lost a lotta blood. We need ta give him some plasma, pressure bandage tha wound. Tha Doc can get tha bullet out later."

For several minutes they worked feverously on tha old Browncoat, until the speakers came ta life.

"Jayne! The salvage ship is returning. They have activated a magnetic grapple and will be in a position to fire in approximately five minutes and twenty seven seconds." River sighed audibly. "I regret that I cannot get _Serenity _active and moving in that time…."

His _Ai ren _needed more time ta get tha ship outta harms way. Tha scavengers had ta be persuaded ta leave them alone. But how? As a transport ship, she carried no guns a her own. Tha biggest gun on board was _Vera…._The Callahan could do tha job, if tha right spot was hit. Five minutes. Not enough time ta prepare a suit for EVA.

Suddenly Jayne ran outta tha Infirmary headin' fer tha foredeck. Yeah, five minutes weren't enough time, unless a suit was already prepped. And one was. As a gesture ta his Browncoat friend, Jayne had prepped a suit fer Mal before they left. If it was still there, he could use that.

It was.

There was no time ta comm River his plan. Every second counted. Well, she was psychic, so he _thought_ his plan as loudly as he could, hopin' she'd hear it. She did, and her acknowledgement came through loud and clear. In his own head. _Bu kuh nuhn! _No time ta dwell on it now.

In four minutes Jayne was ready ta go; he hefted _Vera _and raced fer tha upper airlock. Tha airlock cycled as he went in, and a minute later he was standin' on tha outside a _Serenity's _upper hull.

Tha salvage ship was growin' larger and larger as it drew closer. It was gonna be close. Jayne sighted down tha barrel and prepared hisself fer tha recoil shock.

He could see tha magnetic grapple now, tha blue energy crackled evilly as tha scavengers stalked _Serenity, _hungry ta take her fer their own.

Tha big man stroked _Vera's _trigger, and as he was about ta fire tha magnetic grapple shot out from tha salvage ship, seemingly straight fer tha ex-merc. Stiflin' tha ridiculous urge ta duck, Jayne instead opened fire on tha scavenger ship, one, two, three, four rounds shot towards tha other ships Bridge.

The bullets met tha magnetic grapple and raced past it as it continued its own journey ta tha old Firefly. Even though he weren't tha first ta fire, _Vera's _bullets were much faster and arrived first. The first two armor piercing rounds shattered the windows on the Bride of tha other ship. Tha windows blew out and tha scavengers didn't have time ta think as them that weren't secured in their seats went flyin' off inta tha vacuum a space.

Right on the heels a tha first two rounds were two high explosive shells. They exploded as they entered tha Bridge, shreddin' them that _were _secure in their seats, includin' tha pilot and tha operator of tha magnetic grapple.

Two things then happened. First, tha grapple operator released his finger from tha joystick trigger, killin' the magnetic field. Tha now no longer metallic grapple hit tha side a _Serenity's _hull and bounced off, then slid down tha side a her hull and off inta space.

Second, tha now dead pilots body jerked back on tha controls a tha salvage ship, and tha monster flew over tha Type 3 Firefly and continued off inta Tha Black, no longer a threat ta _Serenity _and them tha was aboard her.

Jayne had no time ta celebrate. He had problem a his own. Tha suit he prepped fer Mal was set-up fer use _inside _Serenity. He hadn't used tha heavy magnetic boots, they'd just be a huge burden in tha artificial gravity of tha ship. So as he fired, _Vera's _recoil pushed him backwards with enough force ta go flyin' off tha top a tha ship and inta Tha Black his ownself.

River had heard his distress in her mind and raced into action. _Serenity _was still not fully operational, the sensor reboot was not complete, for example, but she could now move. The engine display showed all green.

Her _Zhang fu _was not moving very fast, but every second pushed him further away from the ship. That, actually, was not the main problem. With the sensors still down she could not tell with certainty where he was. Using her mind link she knew his approximate position, past the rear of the ship and going away, but could not risk using the podded engines as their exhaust could possibly fry him. At the very least the exhaust would push him faster and hence even further away. Non optimal.

If the ship was to be moved, that only left the RCS. The Reaction Control System was used to perform slower and more precise movements of the ship. That'd have to do.

An exponential increase in Jayne's stress levels concentrated the young psychic's mind. Oh no! Jayne had passed through the debris trail left by the scavenger's ship and had received a tiny puncture in his suit. Small, yes, but large enough for the big man's air supply to be leaking fast.

There were still several problems, however. The sensor system was still down, only the fore and aft RCS thrusters were pressurized, and worst of all, the young woman had no practical experience in using the RCS. They just hadn't gotten to that portion of her instruction yet.

She could wait no longer. _Zhang fu _had only a few minutes of air remaining. But what to do? Yes, that would do!

With the RCS system partially off line, she couldn't turn the ship, she could only raise or lower the nose. No, she couldn't turn or spin, but she could flip the ship over. And she did, the process was easier than expected. In a matter of moments the old Firefly was pointing the other way – towards Jayne – but it was inverted, upside down. No matter, the artificial gravity rendered up and down essentially meaningless.

Now facing the correct direction, approximately, but still basically blind, River used the podded engines ever so briefly to get the ship moving after Jayne. Approximately would not cut it and the sensors would still not reboot correctly. Closing her eyes, and opening her mind, she sought out her _Zhang fu, _and found him.

Still with her eyes closed, and delicately maneuvering the Type 3 Firefly, she approached where her mind's eye said her former _Ba__o hu zhe, _and current _Zhang fu, _was to be found.

Jayne had moved from frantic ta peaceful. He looked down at tha display on his arm. It were flashin' red, tha warnin' that his air supply was dangerous low. Prolly only a couple a minutes left. Well, he'd seen of tha scavengers, so his _Ai ren _and tha others were safe fer now.

He was pretty sure he was gonna die. With so little air left, even if tha ship or one a tha shuttles pulled alongside him right now, someone would have ta go EVA and pull his sorry _pi gu _in. There just weren't time fer that. Didn't wanna die none, a course, wanted ta see tha _jingling _one last time, but tha knowledge she was safe would hafta do. Smilin' as he thought on her, tha big man closed his eyes and resigned hisself ta his fate.

_Serenity _was close enough that the young psychic had heard her _Zhang fu's _internal monologue, and tears formed in her eyes as she knew he was right. Time, one thing they always seemed to be short of, had become the culprit once again.

"I am a genius." She whispered to herself, sobbing gently. "There must be a solution."

Time, ever their enemy, laughed at her as she thought desperately on what to do. _Serenity _had no grapple, magnetic or otherwise, nor a tractor beam, so he could not be grabbed.

"Jonah." River smiled to herself, then began to laugh. "_Zhang fu _will be Jonah, and _Serenity _the whale!"

The erstwhile cook and now pilot activated the internal comm system, determination flowing through her.

"Attention Crew. The main cargo bay will need to be depressurized. Standby."

River hit a button and the blast doors on the Bridge and in the Infirmary closed tight. As critical areas of the ship, the Infirmary and the Bridge could be sealed off from the vacuum of space. That done, she started the depressurization sequence and opened the cargo bay outer doors.

"Attention. Depressurization sequence initiated. Infirmary isolated and secure."

Once the sequence was complete, she opened the inner cargo bar door. _Serenity's _main cargo bay was now open to space. The only recently replaced air rushed out of the ship, pushing Jayne faster and further away, but that could not be helped.

It wasn't quite that simple to just scoop him up, approach vectors, velocities, mass, all had to be calculated. With no information coming into the nav system from the sensors, the ship herself could not do this. But the young genius could, and did.

With the whale upside down, a somewhat unstable young woman at the controls, and a Jonah resigned to his fate, they would only get one shot at this most absurd method of recovery. It had to be perfect.

It wasn't, but it was close enough. Jayne flew through the open maw of the old Firefly's main cargo bay, or more rightly he was devoured by the mid bulk, a comical sight if it wasn't so dire. Once she was sure he was within the confines of the main cargo bay, River went through the re-pressurization sequence as fast as she could, choosing also to right the ship at the same time.

Still with his eyes still closed, Jayne was wonderin' how much ruttin' longer this was gonna take. He weren't a patient man. And he weren't a man used ta not havin' some sorta control over a situation. If he was gonna go out, he wanted it ta be quick like, not waitin' and waitin'. Well, enough a this _go se. _

If he was gonna die, it'd be on his terms. He grabbed his helmet with tha intention a takin' it off and darin' Tha Black ta take him. As he twisted somethin' strange happened, the helmet came off sure, but he was expectin' ta die in vacuum, not ta suddenly fall five feet and land heavily on his _pi gu._

"What tha gorram hell is goin' on?" he yelled as he finally remembered ta open his eyes. He was gonna dare Tha Black ta take him, but only a psychopath would stare Tha Black in tha eye as he done dared it ta end him.

Instead a Tha Black, he was starin' at tha main cargo bay. Confused, he sat up only ta be pushed back down by someone jumpin' on him, someone who then proceeded ta assault him with kisses.

It were, a course, tha _jingling, _and she'd gorram popped up on him again.

He collapsed ta tha ground, and as he held her they both started ta laugh at his thoughts.

"I'm either dead, or I been saved by a gorram genius who just happens ta be tha most beautiful sight I ever seen!"

"I can assure you, _Zhang fu, _you are not dead." River said as she resumed her assault.

They broke apart after a short while, and again started to laugh as they were joined by Book and Inara.

They, of course, had no idea what had gone on. But that could wait.

"Tha Cap'n?" Jayne asked, genuinely concerned.

"Stable, but very seriously wounded," Book started, "we need the young doctor, urgently."

'There was a recall device for the shuttles rigged on The Bridge. I have triggered it, unfortunately we have to wait for their return. Sensors and communications are still down and I cannot bring them online." River finished sadly.

"Well, I will pray for their speedy return," The Shepherd started, "and for The Cap.."

Just then, a clang could be heard to reverberate through the ship, and within moments the rest of the Crew came streaming out of shuttle two. All looked relieved, Zoe unsteady on her feet but clearly in charge.

"As soon as I woke, I ordered Wash ta bring us home. Cap'n should never a sent us away." She answered the unasked question as she shook her head.

Jayne nodded back, and didn't think tha point was worth arguing, matters a more import were at hand.

"Mal's hurt bad, Doc we need ya magic in tha Infirmary."

While Simon worked on Mal, Jayne and River brought tha rest up ta speed on what had happened since they got back. What happened afore that, well, only Tha Cap'n could explain.

That is, if he woke. It weren't lookin' too good fer tha old Browncoat, but if anyone could save him, it were his brother in law.

**Infirmary – Several Hours Later**

Mal woke slowly. He hurt, well, all over, and the pain added ta his confusion. Hearing' voices, he looked over ta see Zoe lyin' next ta him, Wash sittin' in between.

"Welcome back, Sir" she smiled.

"I go someplace?" he replied, still disorientated.

"Very nearly." The Shepherd's tone was serious.

"We thought we lost you." Inara said softly, fighting the tears that threatened to form in her eyes.

"Well, I've been right here." Mal replied, just as softly. Still somewhat confused, Mal noticed Wash hooked up ta an IV line. "Wash, ya ok?"

"Yeah, Mal, I'm fine," he replied, clearly amused by his Captain.

"Ya got a..thing in ya arm."

"Yeah." He smiled again.

Simon, Doctor mode on full, decided it was time to interrupt the banter.

"Try not to speak," The Doctor told him as he prepared a smoother. "You're heavily medicated and you've lost a lot of blood."

"Oh." Was all the still slightly confused Browncoat could say. Mal's brow furrowed as he remembered what had happened. "Thought I ordered ya'll off tha ship?"

No one spoke, they didn't need Mal's famous temper to flare. Weren't gonna be good for him.

Tha Cap'n thought for a moment before focusin' on Wash.

"I call ya back?"

"No, Mal. You didn't." Wash wasn't going to lie.

"I take full responsibility, Cap'n." Zoe smiled as she spoke up.

"The decision saved your life." Simon added.

"Won't happen again, Sir." She was grinnin' now.

"Good," he said, seriously. "And thanks. I'm grateful." He managed a very small smile.

"I was my pleasure, Sir." Zoe matched his with a bigger one of her own.

Mal's eyes suddenly shot open full.

"Scavengers!" he cried, becomin' angry and distressed.

"Don't worry about that none," Jayne rumbled, "they ain't gonna bother us no more."

"Or anyone else." River confirmed.

Mal watched tha two look at each other and smile. Seems like there's a mighty interestin' story there, he thought as he relaxed.

Kaylee couldn't wait any longer, she rounded tha couple and approached her Cap'n.

"Hey, Cap'n." she beamed.

"Hey."

"Ya fixed tha ship. Good work." Tha Engineer was very impressed with her Cap'n.

"Thanks."

"All right. I have to insist. The Captain needs to rest." Doctor mode was once again activated.

"Yeah," Mal agreed, "Think Tha Doc might not be wrong about that one. Just gonna need a few…" the smoother was kickin' in and Mal forced hisself ta concentrate. "Ya'll gonna be here when I wake up?"

"We'll be here." Book assured him.

"Ok," Tha Cap'n said as he closed his eyes and smiled. "That's good…" He allowed hisself ta drift off ta sleep, knowin' that his ship, and his Crew, were safe and well, for tha moment.

A/N: Next one up is of course, Ariel, re-imagined, and it's gonna be a doozy. Hopefully some surprises for y'all. And yes, River is _still _gonna slash Jayne's chest open. 'Cause he looks better in red.

Chinese:

_Chwen Joo – Foolish_

_Ai ren - Wife_

_Zhang fu - Husband_

_Yee-soo – Jesus_

_Go se – Crap_

_Jingling – Pixie_

_Dong ma? – Understand?_

_Feng le – Crazy_

_Mei Mei – Little Sister_

_Chur ni-duh – Screw you_

_Bu Kuh Nuhn! – Impossible!_

_Ba__o hu zhe – Protector_

_Pi gu – butt_


End file.
